This LLNL-developed invention is multiplexed and utilizes the Luminex bead-based liquid array, which contains 100 different unique beads. Oligonucleotide probes with sequences complementary to the target sequences are covalently coupled to these unique beads. These capture beads are mixed with viral samples obtained from the patient via cheek swabbing or a throat wash and subjected to PCR in a conventional thermocycler. The amplified target sequence is then hybridized to complementary capture oligonucleotide probes via forward biotinylated primers. If this bead-probe-amplicon unit contains the target nucleic acid, it will be bound by the reporter molecule and fluorescence will be detected by a flow cytometer. This multiplexed assay would thus be able to detect and identify respiratory pathogens present in hospital and clinical settings.
IP status: US patent 8,232,058 "Multiplex detection of respiratory pathogens"
Applications and Industries
- Rapid, accurate, and convenient point-of-care testing in hospitals and other clinical settings
- Amenable to high-throughput future applications and designs
Benefits
- Rapid and accurate detection and identification of many common respiratory nosocomial pathogens
- Ability to conduct point-of-care testing rather than sending a patient or sample to a laboratory
- Multiplexed design allows for testing of multiple pathogens in a single sample