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To facilitate the rapid and precise detection of Acinetobacter baumannii, we present a protocol that employs Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) in conjunction with LbaCas12a endonuclease for identifying A. baumannii infections.
Acinetobacter baumannii, a gram-negative bacterium, is notorious for causing severe infections with high mortality rates. Rapid and accurate detection of A. baumannii is crucial for prompt treatment, effective infection control, and curbing antibiotic resistance. However, there is no suitable method for rapid and easy on-site detection of A. baumannii. The DNA Endonuclease Targeted CRISPR Trans Reporter (DETECTR) system offers a rapid, precise, and sensitive approach to A. baumannii detection by integrating the target-specific recognition capabilities of Cas12a with the isothermal amplification efficiency of Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA). This protocol details the detection of A. baumannii using RPA combined with LbaCas12a endonuclease. The following steps are described in this article: extraction of DNA, selection of a specific DNA sequence, design of primer and CRISPR RNA (crRNA), construction of positive recombinant plasmid, setup of Cas12a-RPA assay, optimization of the RPA amplification system, visualization of the RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a assay using a fluorescence detection tool such as a real-time PCR instrument, and evaluation of sensitivity and specificity evaluation.
In clinical microbiology, detecting Acinetobacter baumannii infections presents a significant challenge. This gram-negative bacterium can cause infections with severe clinical symptoms, even with high mortality rates, particularly among immunocompromised patients1. Traditional culture-based detection methods for pathogen infections are time-consuming and may lack sensitivity, which may delay antibiotic treatment and compromise patient outcomes. Rapid and accurate identification of A. baumannii is crucial for effective treatment and outbreak control. Molecular techniques employing nucleic acid amplification have been explored to meet this need. However, these approaches often need sophisticated thermal cycling equipment and may be limited by well-trained technicians and well-established laboratories. To overcome these challenges, research is increasingly focused on developing isothermal amplification methods2,3,4.
Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) is a method established by Piepenburg et al 5 and used to amplify DNA, similar to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) but without the need for temperature cycling. This method includes 50 mM Tris (pH 7.5), 100 mM potassium acetate, 14 mM magnesium acetate, 2 mM DTT, 5% PEG20000 (a high molecular weight polyethylene glycol), 200 µM dNTPs,3 mM ATP, 50 mM phosphocreatine, 100 µg/mL creatine kinase, 120 µg/mL UvsX, 30 µg/mL UvsY, 900 µg/mL Gp32, 30 µg/mL Bsu LF, 450 nM primers, and DNA templates. The amplification process begins with the recombinase protein UvsX binding to primers in the presence of 3 mM ATP and 5% PEG20000 forming a recombinase-primer complex. This complex then facilitates the combination of primers with the homologous sequences on the double-stranded DNA.
With the help of UvsY, the recombinase UvsX facilitates the exchange between the primer and the template strand, resulting in the displacement of one strand of the target DNA. Gp32 helps maintain the single-stranded DNA structure. Finally, the recombinase dissociates, and a DNA polymerase (Bsu LF) capable of displacing DNA strands binds to the 3' end of the primer, elongating it in the presence of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs). This process is repeated cyclically, achieving exponential amplification. All amplification processes can be completed within 20-40 min and at relatively constant temperatures between 37 °C and 42 °C. This temperature range is approximately identical to physiological temperatures, which permits RPA to be conducted in a minimalist environment, making RPA a versatile and efficient tool for DNA detection and analysis.
The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR-Cas) system functions as an adaptive immune mechanism in bacteria and archaea, encompassing Class I and Class II systems. Class II includes proteins such as Cas12 (a, b, f), Cas13 (a, b), and Cas14, which identify and cleave target DNA or RNA guided by CRISPR RNA (crRNA)6,7,8 . LbaCas12a (or Cpf1) is a crRNA-guided DNA endonuclease. The crRNA serves as a guiding RNA within the CRISPR-Cas system, where it complexes with Cas proteins. It leverages its spacer region to pair with the target DNA, effectively steering the protein complex to the target sequences. The sequence 5'-UAAUUUCUACUAAGUGUAGAU-3' serves as the conserved crRNA repeat, a constant element in all LbaCas12a crRNAs. Following this repeat is a target-specific segment that differs based on the intended DNA target. This targeting sequence ranges from 18 to 24 nucleotides in length.
The PAM (Protospacer-Adjacent Motif) sequence (TTTV, where V can be A, C, or G) is located at the 5' end of the non-complementary strand of the DNA target. The Cas12a cuts target double-stranded DNA at the PAM sequence. Subsequently, the activated Cas proteins execute non-specific trans-cleavage of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)9,10,11,12. Thus, ssDNA labeled with a fluorophore and quencher undergoes cleavage, resulting in the emission of a fluorescent signal following collateral cleavage8,13. The fluorescence intensity can be quantified using a fluorescence reader for precise nucleic acid detection14.Notably, Cas12a is extensively utilized for DNA analysis, with its binding and cleavage of target sequences contingent upon the recognition of the Protospacer-Adjacent Motif (PAM), while Cas13a operates independently of such a requirement.
CRISPR-Cas systems15,16,17 facilitate cleavage within a single reaction18,19,20,21. Combining the above two can create a robust tool known as A. baumannii-DETECTR (LbaCas12a-Enabled Detection of Targeted A. baumannii) for nucleic acid detection22,23,24.This protocol demonstrates the use of RPA in conjunction with the DNase activity of Cas12a to specifically target and cleave a crRNA-guided sequence within the 16s rDNA gene of A. baumannii, thereby enabling sensitive and precise detection of the pathogen.
The A. baumannii-DETECTR method presents several advantages over conventional detection methods25,26. Firstly, the isothermal characteristic of RPA streamlines operational procedures and reduces costs through its thermal cycler-independent amplification mechanism5. Secondly, the Cas12a endonuclease increases the assay's specificity by means of crRNA-mediated targeting and Watson-Crick base pairing7. Lastly, using the one-tube method of A. baumannii-DETECTR not only saves time but also significantly reduces the risk of amplicon contamination19.
The protocol outlines steps for the extraction of DNA extraction, the selection of target DNA sequences, the design of primers and crRNAs, the construction of positive recombinant plasmids, the establishment of setting up the Cas12a-RPA assay, the optimization of optimizing RPA amplification, and the visualization of visualizing results with using fluorescence detection instruments tools such as a Real-time PCR machine, complete with sensitivity and specificity evaluations.
The A. baumannii-DETECTR method holds promise in enhancing patient outcomes by facilitating timely and effective treatment, robust infection control, and the containment of antibiotic resistance spread. This protocol can serve as a comprehensive guideline for the implementation of Cas12a-RPA technology, enhancing its utility in various healthcare settings. However, it is crucial to note that every step should be optimized based on specific lab conditions and the variety of samples to ensure consistent and reliable results.
1. Construction of the A. baumannii -DETECTR
NOTE: The construction of A. baumannii-DETECTR is a four-step process involving the design of primer and crRNA, the construction of positive recombinant plasmid construction, the preparation of reaction solutions, isothermal DNA amplification by RPA, and the visualization of the RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a assay. The schematic of the DETECTR assay is illustrated in Figure 1.
2. Specificity evaluation of the RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a-based detection platform
NOTE: To test the specificity of A. baumannii-DETECTR, the nucleic acids of A. baumannii, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Rickettsia mooseri, Enterobacter, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella, Chlamydia psittaci, Legionella, Cockerella beckeri, Serratia, and human samples were subjected to the DETECTR test.
3. Sensitivity evaluation of the RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a-based detection platform
4. Preparations while the sample is under UV light and LFS detection
In this study, we introduce a novel, portable diagnostic platform named A. baumannii-DETECTR, which integrates the isothermal amplification efficiency of RPA and CRISPR-Cas12a system for rapid and reliable field identification of A. baumannii. The schematic of the DETECTR assay is illustrated in Figure 1.
Twelve pairs of primers were designed using design toolson the basis of prime...
Traditional diagnostic methods for A. baumannii infections have various restrictions that make them less accessible and feasible for point-of-care testing27. For example, PCR has good sensitivity and specificity but necessitates specialized thermal cycling equipment and complex workflows that must be operated by professionals. The novel method presented here, which couples RPA and CRISPR-LbaCas12a genome editing with recombineering, known as the A. baumannii-DETECTR assay, allows...
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
This work was supported by Science and Technology Development Plan Project of Jilin Province, China (20240305027YY) and Jilin Provincial Department of Finance (JLSWSRCZX2023-55, JLSWSRCZX2021-041).
Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
-20 °C Freezer | Haier | HYCD-290 | China |
Agarose Basic | BioFroxx | 1110GR100 | China |
All oligonucleotides and crRNA were synthesized by company | www.comatebio.com | ||
Cas12a cutting substrate - ssDNA - fluorescent type | EZassay Biotech. Co. Ltd. | DNA-FAM-BHQ | China |
Cas12a cutting substrate - ssDNA - test paper type | EZassay Biotech. Co. Ltd. | DNA-FAM-BIO | China |
Electrophoresis apparatus | BIO-RAD | POWER PAC1000 | USA |
Fluorescence quantitative PCR instrument | BIO-RAD | CFX Connect | USA |
Gel Imaging System | BIO-RAD | Gel Doc 2000 | USA |
https://ezassay.com/rna | |||
https://www.ezassay.com/primer | |||
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/tools/primer-blast | |||
Lateral flow paper strip (Biotin/FAM) | EZassay Biotech. Co. Ltd. | HD-FMBO | China |
LbaCas12a (Cpf1) enhanced protein | EZassay Biotech. Co. Ltd. | CAS-12E-001 | China |
LED Transilluminator | LABGIC | BL-20 | China |
Magnesium acetate, MgOAc | TwistDx | TABAS03KIT | UK |
Microcentrifuge | allsheng | Mini-6k | China |
PCR strip tubes | PCR strip tubes | PST-0208-FT-C | China |
TGrade Dry Bath Incubator | Tiangen biochemical technology | OSE-DB-01 | China |
Tianamp Bacteria DNA Kit | Tiangen biochemical technology | DP302-02 | China |
TIANamp Bacteria DNA Kit | TIANGEN BIOTECH (BEIJING) CO.; LTD. | DP302 | China |
TransStart FastPfu DNA Polymerase | TransGen Biotech. Co. Ltd. | AP221 | China |
TwistAmp Basic Kit | TwistDX | TABAS03KIT | UK |
Universal DNA Purification Kit | Tiangen biochemical technology | DP214-03 | China |
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