Nanomolecular Magnetic Probe for Colorimetric RT-LAMP of Viral RNA

Abstract

Amplification of the RNA from the Covid-19 virus is considered the main objective of the molecular diagnosis of SARS-Cov-2. However, the use of target-based amplification methods such as polymerase chain reaction requires a step to convert the RNA of the Covid-19 virus into a DNA template to lead to amplification. In addition, isolating the RNA of the Covid-19 virus requires RNA purification kits, which will increase the time and costs of molecular detection of this virus. In this study, the magnetic nanoprobe is introduced that it could capture and amplify Covid-19 RNA through an isothermal amplification process called loop-mediated isothermal amplification without requiring a step to convert the viral RNA into a DNA template. By using the engineered sequences corresponding to the target nucleic acid attached to magnetic nanoparticles, it becomes possible to identify the target RNA of this virus through color changes due to pH changes that can be seen with the naked eye due to the presence of pH indicators in the reaction mix. According to the isothermal amplification of the viral RNA via LAMP assisted with the magnetic nanoprobe, the nanomolecular method eliminated the need for special equipment and the time for detecting Covid-19 in specimens.