Multiplexed identification, quantification and genotyping of infectious agents using a semiconductor biochip

Nat Biotechnol. 2018 Sep;36(8):738-745. doi: 10.1038/nbt.4179. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

Abstract

The emergence of pathogens resistant to existing antimicrobial drugs is a growing worldwide health crisis that threatens a return to the pre-antibiotic era. To decrease the overuse of antibiotics, molecular diagnostics systems are needed that can rapidly identify pathogens in a clinical sample and determine the presence of mutations that confer drug resistance at the point of care. We developed a fully integrated, miniaturized semiconductor biochip and closed-tube detection chemistry that performs multiplex nucleic acid amplification and sequence analysis. The approach had a high dynamic range of quantification of microbial load and was able to perform comprehensive mutation analysis on up to 1,000 sequences or strands simultaneously in <2 h. We detected and quantified multiple DNA and RNA respiratory viruses in clinical samples with complete concordance to a commercially available test. We also identified 54 drug-resistance-associated mutations that were present in six genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, all of which were confirmed by next-generation sequencing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • DNA Probes
  • DNA Viruses / drug effects*
  • DNA Viruses / genetics
  • DNA Viruses / isolation & purification
  • DNA, Viral / analysis
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics
  • Drug Resistance, Viral / genetics
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • Genotype*
  • Humans
  • Miniaturization
  • Mutation
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / genetics
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification
  • Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques
  • RNA Viruses / drug effects*
  • RNA Viruses / genetics
  • RNA Viruses / isolation & purification
  • RNA, Viral / analysis
  • Semiconductors*

Substances

  • DNA Probes
  • DNA, Viral
  • RNA, Viral