<br/>With the capability of causing major birth defects, such as microcephaly, posterior eye damage, and club foot, the Zika virus is currently a major concern for public health. A cheap and efficient method of detection is crucial for early treatment as well as tracking, and potentially reducing, the spread of the virus. Here, a sensor is proposed utilizing nucleic acid-based nanoconstructs to detect the viral genome. The sensor is comprised of two deoxyribozymes (Dz): a phosphodiesterase-like split Dz and a peroxidase-like G-quadruplex (G4) Dz. The split phosphodiesterase-like Dz hybridizes to a conserved fragment of the Zika virus genome, which re-forms the Dz catalytic core and enables cleaving a G4 Dz-containing oligonucleotide substrate. The G4 Dz, originally sequestered in a stem-loop of the substrate, is released upon substrate cleavage and, in the presence of hemin, catalyzes peroxidation of a colorless organic indicator, yielding a colored product visible to the naked eye. While concentrations of Zika virus RNA in clinical samples are below the capabilities of these sensors, pairing the system with isothermal amplification allows for a point-of-care compatible method for Zika virus diagnostics.<br/>This work is supported by the Florida Department of Health, Biomedical research Program (7ZK33).

Deoxyribozyme cascade for visual detection of Zika virus RNA

255th National Meeting (2018)

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