Nyaruaba Raphael, Li Xiohong, Mwaliko Caroline, Ogolla Faith, Li Changchang, Zhao Lu, Yang Hang, Yu Junping, Wei Honping
Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
International College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Methods Mol Biol. 2022;2452:147-166. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2111-0_10.
Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) is a third generation of PCR that was recently developed to overcome the limitation of direct quantification observed in real-time quantification PCR (qPCR). Recent studies have shown that ddPCR is more sensitive than the gold standard reverse transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in detecting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) samples. In combination with multiplexing, multiple RT-ddPCR assays can be developed to directly quantify different SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid targets within a single sample, significantly saving on cost and time. Since ddPCR is tolerant to a number of inhibitors unlike qPCR, it can be used to detect and quantify samples from complex environments like wastewater. Here we present three one-step RT-ddPCR protocols on how to develop simplex (one target), duplex (two targets), and triplex probe mix (three targets) assays for SARS-CoV-2 detection and quantification. The assays can be used for diagnosis or other research-related SARS-CoV-2 applications.
微滴式数字聚合酶链反应(ddPCR)是第三代聚合酶链反应,它是最近为克服实时定量聚合酶链反应(qPCR)中观察到的直接定量局限性而开发的。最近的研究表明,在检测严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2(SARS-CoV-2)样本时,ddPCR比金标准逆转录实时定量聚合酶链反应(RT-qPCR)更敏感。结合多重检测技术,可以开发多种RT-ddPCR检测方法,以直接定量单个样本中的不同SARS-CoV-2核酸靶标,从而显著节省成本和时间。由于与qPCR不同,ddPCR对多种抑制剂具有耐受性,因此它可用于检测和定量来自废水等复杂环境的样本。在此,我们介绍三种一步法RT-ddPCR方案,介绍如何开发用于SARS-CoV-2检测和定量的单重(一个靶标)、双重(两个靶标)和三重探针混合物(三个靶标)检测方法。这些检测方法可用于诊断或其他与SARS-CoV-2相关的研究应用。