Programmable Proteolysis-Activated Transcription for Highly Sensitive Ratiometric Electrochemical Detection of Viral Protease

Anal Chem. 2023 Jul 18;95(28):10728-10735. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01720. Epub 2023 Jul 6.

Abstract

Viral proteases play a crucial role in viral infection and are regarded as promising targets for antiviral drug development. Consequently, biosensing methods that target viral proteases have contributed to the study of virus-related diseases. This work presents a ratiometric electrochemical sensor that enables highly sensitive detection of viral proteases through the integration of target proteolysis-activated in vitro transcription and the DNA-functionalized electrochemical interface. In particular, each viral protease-mediated proteolysis triggers the transcription of multiple RNA outputs, leading to amplified ratiometric signals on the electrochemical interface. Using the NS3/4A protease of the hepatitis C virus as a model, this method achieves robust and specific NS3/4A protease sensing with sub-femtomolar sensitivity. The feasibility of this sensor was demonstrated by monitoring NS3/4A protease activities in virus-infected cell samples with varying viral loads and post-infection times. This study provides a new approach to analyzing viral proteases and holds the potential for developing direct-acting antivirals and novel therapies for viral infections.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line
  • Electrochemical Techniques* / methods
  • Hepatitis C / enzymology
  • Humans
  • Proteolysis
  • Viral Proteases / metabolism

Substances

  • Viral Proteases