Tiny DNA strand net in a low-cost test platform traps COVID-19 virus

Image caption: Tiny nets woven from DNA strands cover the spike proteins of the virus that causes COVID-19 and give off a glowing signal in this artist’s rendering. Image courtesy of Xing Wang. Reviewed by Danielle Ellis, B.Sc. AZO Life Sciences – September 26, 2022. Source: University of Illinois.

According to a new study, tiny nets made of DNA strands can capture the spike protein of the virus that causes COVID-19, illuminating it for a quick yet accurate diagnostic test and preventing it from infecting cells, suggesting a new potential path to antiviral treatment. In a study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and associates proved the DNA nets’ capacity to recognize and obstruct COVID-19 in human cell cultures. […]

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Curated by John Wysocki

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