Fig. 1: INSPECTR process workflow. | Nature Biomedical Engineering

Fig. 1: INSPECTR process workflow.

From: Detection of viral RNAs at ambient temperature via reporter proteins produced through the target-splinted ligation of DNA probes

Fig. 1: INSPECTR process workflow.The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

Single-stranded DNA probes, designed to have homology against a particular target RNA, are ligated only when the RNA splints a ternary molecular junction. The ligated probes serve as a template for double-stranding by a DNA polymerase. The linear double-stranded product encodes a complete reporter expression cassette, including a T7 promoter, a ribosome-binding site (RBS), a reporter protein and a T7 terminator. When added to a cell-free expression system, transcription and translation generate a modular reporter output that can be measured electronically or visually.

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