Micropillar enhanced FRET-CRISPR biosensor for nucleic acid detection

Lab Chip. 2023 Dec 20;24(1):47-55. doi: 10.1039/d3lc00780d.

Abstract

CRISPR technology has gained widespread adoption for pathogen detection due to its exceptional sensitivity and specificity. Although recent studies have investigated the potential of high-aspect-ratio microstructures in enhancing biochemical applications, their application in CRISPR-based detection has been relatively rare. In this study, we developed a FRET-based biosensor in combination with high-aspect-ratio microstructures and Cas12a-mediated trans-cleavage for detecting HPV 16 DNA fragments. Remarkably, our results show that micropillars with higher density exhibit superior molecular binding capabilities, leading to a tenfold increase in detection sensitivity. Furthermore, we investigated the effectiveness of two surface chemical treatment methods for enhancing the developed FRET assay. A simple and effective approach was also developed to mitigate bubble generation in microfluidic devices, a crucial issue in biochemical reactions within such devices. Overall, this work introduces a novel approach using micropillars for CRISPR-based viral detection and provides valuable insights into optimizing biochemical reactions within microfluidic devices.

MeSH terms

  • Biological Assay
  • Biosensing Techniques*
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems
  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
  • Lab-On-A-Chip Devices
  • Nucleic Acids*
  • Technology

Substances

  • Nucleic Acids