The Role of biosensors for the detecting the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus

The Role of biosensors for the detecting the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus
Bahareh Zamani,^1,*
1. shiraz university of medical sciense
Introduction: Diagnosis of active SARS-CoV-2 infection is the most crucial step for overcoming COVID-19 health emergency. In order to reach this the target a highly sensitive, quick, and affordable test is much in demand. Utilizing biosensors to diagnosis SARS-CoV-2 antigens can provide reliable, simple, rapid, low-cost detection platform.
Methods: the pubmed and scopus were searched with keyword of "SARS-CoV-2" or "COVID-19" and Biosensor then the related articles were selected.
Results: 1. A field-effect transistor (FET)-based biosensing device The FET-based sensor is based on an immobilized SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody onto the surface of the Graphene sensor via a probe linker. The Graphene has the ability to sense voltage changes due to SARS-CoV-2 antigen connection to the immobilized antibody and then the signal can be detected via a detector. This FET biosensor can detect the SARS-CoV-2 antigen at concentrations of 1 fg/mL in phosphate-buffered saline and 100 fg/mL in the clinical transport medium. Moreover, the FET biosensor could detect SARS-CoV-2 in culture medium (limit of detection [LOD]: 1.6 × 101 pfu/mL) as well as clinical samples (LOD: 2.42 × 102 copies/m)(1). 2. Dual-Functional Plasmonic Photothermal Biosensor Combination of the plasmonic photothermal (PPT) effect with localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) leads to production of a highly sensitive biosensor, that is able to select SARS-CoV-2 sequences specifically. the biosensor is based on two-dimensional gold nanoisland (AuNI) with immobilized complementary DNA receptor. This dual-functional Biosensor is able to detect RdRp-COVID, ORF1ab-COVID, and E genes from SARS-Cov-2 with a detection limit lower to the concentration of 0.22 pM therefore, provide accurate detection of the SARS-CoV-2 sequences in a multigene mixture. Similar sequences like RdRp sequence in both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 can be accurately distinguished as a result of the in situ PPT enhancement on the AuNI chips leads to more efficient hybridization kinetics and more specific nucleic acid detection(2). 3. Cell-Based Biosensor Sophie Mavrikou et al. reported a biosensor set up on membrane-engineered mammalian cells carrying the human chimeric spike S1 antibody. They demonstrated hyperpolarization of the engineered cell membrane as a result of interaction between the antibody-bearing membrane-engineered cells, and the SARS-CoV-2 leads to electrical changes in the cell membrane. Surprisingly, the results will achieved just whiten 3 minutes. Also, the limit of detection reported one fg/mL with a semi-linear range of responses between 10 fg and 1 g/mL (3).
Conclusion: Developing biosensors allows detecting SARS-CoV-2 antigen directly, which is a reliable indicator of the presence of active virus in an infected case. Overall, biosensors development provides simple, rapid, low-cost detection platform but, the need for mass production of the monoclonal antibodies and the complexity as well as time-consuming process of its production, restrict the usage of biosensors in clinical diagnosis. However, biosensors can be a good alternative for RT-PCR and decrease pressure on PCR based detection methods.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 Biosensor