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Mascuch SJ, Fakhretaha-Aval S, Bowman JC, Ma MTH, Thomas G, Bommarius B, Ito C, Zhao L, Newnam GP, Matange KR, Thapa HR, Barlow B, Donegan RK, Nguyen NA, Saccuzzo EG, Obianyor CT, Karunakaran SC, Pollet P, Rothschild-Mancinelli B, Mestre-Fos S, Guth-Metzler R, Bryksin AV, Petrov AS, Hazell M, Ibberson CB, Penev PI, Mannino RG, Lam WA, Garcia AJ, Kubanek J, Agarwal V, Hud NV, Glass JB, Williams LD, Lieberman RL. A blueprint for academic laboratories to produce SARS-CoV-2 quantitative RT-PCR test kits. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:15438-15453. [PMID: 32883809 PMCID: PMC7667971 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.015434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Widespread testing for the presence of the novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals remains vital for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic prior to the advent of an effective treatment. Challenges in testing can be traced to an initial shortage of supplies, expertise, and/or instrumentation necessary to detect the virus by quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR), the most robust, sensitive, and specific assay currently available. Here we show that academic biochemistry and molecular biology laboratories equipped with appropriate expertise and infrastructure can replicate commercially available SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR test kits and backfill pipeline shortages. The Georgia Tech COVID-19 Test Kit Support Group, composed of faculty, staff, and trainees across the biotechnology quad at Georgia Institute of Technology, synthesized multiplexed primers and probes and formulated a master mix composed of enzymes and proteins produced in-house. Our in-house kit compares favorably with a commercial product used for diagnostic testing. We also developed an environmental testing protocol to readily monitor surfaces for the presence of SARS-CoV-2. Our blueprint should be readily reproducible by research teams at other institutions, and our protocols may be modified and adapted to enable SARS-CoV-2 detection in more resource-limited settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J. Mascuch
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sara Fakhretaha-Aval
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jessica C. Bowman
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Minh Thu H. Ma
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Gwendell Thomas
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Bettina Bommarius
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Chieri Ito
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Liangjun Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Gary P. Newnam
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kavita R. Matange
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Hem R. Thapa
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Brett Barlow
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Rebecca K. Donegan
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nguyet A. Nguyen
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Emily G. Saccuzzo
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Chiamaka T. Obianyor
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Suneesh C. Karunakaran
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Pamela Pollet
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | | | - Santi Mestre-Fos
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Rebecca Guth-Metzler
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Anton V. Bryksin
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Anton S. Petrov
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Mallory Hazell
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Carolyn B. Ibberson
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Petar I. Penev
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Robert G. Mannino
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Wilbur A. Lam
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Andrés J. Garcia
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Julia Kubanek
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Vinayak Agarwal
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nicholas V. Hud
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jennifer B. Glass
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Loren Dean Williams
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Raquel L. Lieberman
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Mascuch SJ, Fakhretaha-Aval S, Bowman JC, Ma MTH, Thomas G, Bommarius B, Ito C, Zhao L, Newnam GP, Matange KR, Thapa HR, Barlow B, Donegan RK, Nguyen NA, Saccuzzo EG, Obianyor CT, Karunakaran SC, Pollet P, Rothschild-Mancinelli B, Mestre-Fos S, Guth-Metzler R, Bryksin AV, Petrov AS, Hazell M, Ibberson CB, Penev PI, Mannino RG, Lam WA, Garcia AJ, Kubanek JM, Agarwal V, Hud NV, Glass JB, Williams LD, Lieberman RL. A blueprint for academic labs to produce SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR test kits. medRxiv 2020:2020.07.29.20163949. [PMID: 32766604 PMCID: PMC7402063 DOI: 10.1101/2020.07.29.20163949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Widespread testing for the presence of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in individuals remains vital for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic prior to the advent of an effective treatment. Challenges in testing can be traced to an initial shortage of supplies, expertise and/or instrumentation necessary to detect the virus by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), the most robust, sensitive, and specific assay currently available. Here we show that academic biochemistry and molecular biology laboratories equipped with appropriate expertise and infrastructure can replicate commercially available SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR test kits and backfill pipeline shortages. The Georgia Tech COVID-19 Test Kit Support Group, composed of faculty, staff, and trainees across the biotechnology quad at Georgia Institute of Technology, synthesized multiplexed primers and probes and formulated a master mix composed of enzymes and proteins produced in-house. Our in-house kit compares favorably to a commercial product used for diagnostic testing. We also developed an environmental testing protocol to readily monitor surfaces across various campus laboratories for the presence of SARS-CoV-2. Our blueprint should be readily reproducible by research teams at other institutions, and our protocols may be modified and adapted to enable SARS-CoV-2 detection in more resource-limited settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Mascuch
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sara Fakhretaha-Aval
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jessica C Bowman
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Minh Thu H Ma
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Gwendell Thomas
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bettina Bommarius
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Chieri Ito
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Liangjun Zhao
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Gary P Newnam
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kavita R Matange
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hem R Thapa
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Brett Barlow
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Rebecca K Donegan
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nguyet A Nguyen
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Emily G Saccuzzo
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Chiamaka T Obianyor
- School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Suneesh C Karunakaran
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Pamela Pollet
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Santi Mestre-Fos
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Rebecca Guth-Metzler
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anton V Bryksin
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anton S Petrov
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mallory Hazell
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Carolyn B Ibberson
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Petar I Penev
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Robert G Mannino
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Wilbur A Lam
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Andrés J Garcia
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Julia M Kubanek
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Vinayak Agarwal
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nicholas V Hud
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jennifer B Glass
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- School of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Loren Dean Williams
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Raquel L Lieberman
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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