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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2020.04.20.052159

A Scalable, Easy-to-Deploy, Protocol for Cas13-Based Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Genetic Material

Rauch, J. N.·Valois, E.·Solley, S. C.·Braig, F.·Lach, R. S.·Baxter, N. J.·Kosik, K. S.·Arias, C.·Acosta-Alvear, D.·Wilson, M. Z.
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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has created massive demand for widespread, distributed tools for detecting SARS-CoV-2 genetic material. The hurdles to scalable testing include reagent and instrument accessibility, availability of highly-trained personnel, and large upfront investment. Here we showcase an orthogonal pipeline we call CREST (Cas13-based, Rugged, Equitable, Scalable Testing) that addresses some of these hurdles. Specifically, CREST pairs commonplace and reliable biochemical methods (PCR) with low-cost instrumentation, without sacrificing detection sensitivity. By taking advantage of simple fluorescence visualizers, CREST allows for a binary interpretation of results. CREST may provide a point- of-care solution to increase the distribution of COVID-19 surveillance.

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Rauch, J. N., Valois, E., Solley, S. C., Braig, F., Lach, R. S., Baxter, N. J., Kosik, K. S., Arias, C., Acosta-Alvear, D., Wilson, M. Z.. 2020-04-21. A Scalable, Easy-to-Deploy, Protocol for Cas13-Based Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Genetic Material. https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.04.20.052159

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