Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Label-Free Manner Using Micromechanical Sensors

Abstract

Coronavirus (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been identified as a deadly pandemic. The genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 is performed using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique for identifying viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) in infected patients. However, the RT-PCR diagnostic technique is manually laborious and expensive; therefore, it is not readily accessible in every laboratory. Methodological simplification is crucial to combat the ongoing pandemic by introducing quick, efficient, and affordable diagnostic methods. Here, we report how microcantilever sensors offer promising opportunities for rapid COVID-19 detection. Our first attempt was to capture the single-stranded complementary DNA of SARS-CoV-2 through DNA hybridization. Therefore, the microcantilever surface was immobilized with an oligonucleotide probe and detected using complementary target DNA hybridization by a shift in microcantilever resonance frequency. Our results show that microcantilever sensors can discriminate between complementary and noncomplementary target DNA on a micro to nanoscale. Additionally, the microcantilever sensors’ aptitude toward partial complementary DNA determines their potential to identify new variants of coronavirus. Therefore, microcantilever sensing could be a vital tool in the effort to extinguish the spreading COVID-19 pandemic.

Sensitivity enhancement of microelectromechanical sensors using femtosecond laser for biological and chemical applications

“…To confirm the microsensor selectivity, Figure 9 The resonance-frequency shift for the modified microcantilever was higher than that achieved by the unmodified gold-coated microcantilever by $100%. This corresponds to 15 ± 1.2 Hz for the complementary 0.3-μM SARS-CoV-2 SSDNA reported in Aloraini et al 13 Pb 2+ and L-cysteine is highly complex because lead ions have numerous highly efficient configuration possibilities with L-cysteine. 41,42 After a detailed study, the main adsorption mechanism for Pb 2+ usually involves lead-carboxyl interactions.…”

“…The hybridization with the SSDNA probe layer and attachment to the sensor surface increases the microcantilever effective mass and increases the resonance-frequency shift. 9,13,40 The microcantilever pattered with 10 microgrooves exhibited a higher resonance-frequency shift than that patterned with seven microgrooves, as shown in Figure 8. The higher response exhibited by the FSL-modified microcantilever surface with 10 microgrooves compared with that with seven microgrooves is based on the increased chemically active area that can bond with the probe layer, leading to a larger probe-layer area.…”

“…The appearance of the peaks representing the L-cysteine bonds in the ATR-FTIR spectrum of the microcantilever incubated in L-cysteine also confirms the formation of the L-cysteine layer. Hence, the effective mass of the microcantilever increased, decreasing the resonance frequency 9,13,17 according to Equation (3):…”

“…11,12 Silicon microcantilever-based MEMS sensors are also promising for medical recognition and detection of a wide range of viruses that are transferable from one human to another, such as human immunodeficiency virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19). 2,13 In addition, they can be functionalized to detect different cancer biomarkers and medicines. 5 Further, silicon microcantilever-based MEMS sensors are popular because of their low cost, stability, high sensitivity, and rapid detection compared with other techniques, such as polymerase chain reaction.…”

Bio-piezoelectricity: fundamentals and applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine

“…For viral detection, mass response-type piezoelectric sensors are often utilized (Chen et al 2020b ). The global spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus has reinforced the need for fast and sensitive detection techniques for controlling the outbreak (Aloraini et al 2021 ). The techniques (and their limitations) for virus detection using different virus sensors have been reviewed by Narita et al ( 2021 ).…”