We describe a recently developed immunoassay platform based on the principles of cell-free synthetic biology and the dot-blot technique for customizable detection of antibody response in human and animal sera.
方法文章
We describe a recently developed immunoassay platform based on the principles of cell-free synthetic biology and the dot-blot technique for customizable detection of antibody response in human and animal sera.
The string of global pathogenic outbreaks over the past two decades has highlighted the importance of serosurveillance strategies. Immunoassay platforms that serve to detect disease-specific antibodies in patients' sera are at the core of serosurveillance. Common examples include enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and lateral flow assays; however, while these are gold standard methods, they require pathogen-specific consumables and specialized equipment, which limits their use outside of well-resourced laboratories.
We have recently developed a novel immunoassay platform called Cell-Free Dot-Blot (CFDB) and validated it using human and animal sera against SARS-CoV-2. Unlike conventional immunoassays, CFDB patient serum samples are immobilized to a solid phase (nitrocellulose membrane), while the target antigen is suspended in the mobile phase of the assay. To improve access to serosurveillance capabilities, CFDB antigens are produced on demand and with low-burden infrastructure using in vitro protein expression. Here, the antigen is fused with a peptide tag that can be detected using a single universal reporter protein for any CFDB assay. The result is that the CFDB does not require access to a multi-well plate reader or purified commercial molecular assay components. With these design considerations, CFDB addresses the shortcomings of existing immunoassay platforms by providing accessibility to non-centralized laboratories, adaptability for emerging pathogens, and affordability for lower-income communities.
In the current article, we will provide a step-by-step protocol to prepare and perform a CFDB immunoassay. Using our recent work on SARS-CoV-2 CFDB as an example, we will cover antigen DNA design for on-demand cell-free production, followed by preparation of the CFDB reporter protein, immobilization of serum samples on the solid phase, and finally, antigen-binding and detection steps of the assay. We anticipate that by following these instructions, researchers will be able to adapt the CFDB assay to detect immune responses in human and animal sera to any given pathogen.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the critical need for affordable, scalable diagnostic tools, particularly for low-resource settings1. Conventional immunoassays like enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) have proven essential for detecting immune responses2,3. However, their high cost, reliance on complex reagents, and dependence on specialized equipment limit their accessibility, especially during global health crises. In response to these challenges, we developed the Cell-Free Dot Blot (CFDB), a low-cost, adaptable immunoassay platform designed for the detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in human and animal sera.
CFDB leverages cell-free synthetic biology for the rapid, on-demand production of viral antigens using linear DNA templates4,5. This eliminates the need for traditional cell-based cloning, expression, and purification processes, significantly speeding up antigen production while reducing costs. The CFDB method simplifies antibody detection by using a dot blot format, where sera are directly spotted onto nitrocellulose membranes. This system obviates the need for expensive multi-well plates and specialized lab equipment, allowing for a simple "dipping" workflow for incubation and wash steps. The platform also utilizes a SpyCatcher-SpyTag system, where a SpyCatcher2-Apex2 peroxidase chimera acts as a universal secondary detection reagent5,6. This is produced using standard Escherichia coli-based expression, which eliminates dependence on costly commercial antibody conjugates. As a result, the CFDB system can perform serological assays with performance comparable to ELISAs at a significantly lower cost-about $3 USD per 96 sample assay compared to over $300 USD for a commercial ELISA kit5.
To demonstrate CFDB's effectiveness, we tested its ability to detect antibodies in precharacterized human and animal sera. Our results closely correlated with ELISA in identifying COVID-19-positive and -negative samples. In addition to human diagnostics, we evaluated CFDB's utility in animal models, testing sera from SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters and those vaccinated with recombinant Nucleocapsid protein. These tests confirmed CFDB's potential for use in both human and veterinary diagnostics, making it a versatile tool for monitoring immune responses across species. One of the key advantages of CFDB is its flexibility. By simply modifying the DNA template encoding the antigen of interest, the platform can be rapidly adapted to detect antibodies against different pathogens, making it valuable for future pandemic preparedness. Its low cost, simple workflow, and minimal infrastructure requirements make it particularly suitable for decentralized laboratories and low-resource environments, where access to commercial diagnostics is limited.
In this work we will provide step-by-step instructions for preparing and conducting a CFDB assay. First, we cover the design and synthesis of linear DNA templates for cell-free production of antigens, which are the assay's primary detection reagents. We then describe steps for the preparation of the assay's secondary detection reagent SpyCatcher2-Apex2. After that, we provide instructions for the cell-free production and quality-check of antigens themselves. Finally, we describe in detail the process for conducting a CFDB assay on human or animal serum samples.
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All hamster experiments were performed at the National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) at the Public Health Agency of Canada, approved by the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, and following the Canadian Council on Animal Care guidelines. All human serum/plasma samples were obtained commercially for in-house testing or provided by clinical collaborators to the NML for independent testing at the NML.
1. Design and preparation of antigen linear expression templates (LETs)

Figure 1: Linear expression template for SARS-CoV-2-NP. A schematic representing features of the His-SpyTag-SARS-CoV-2 NP linear DNA template. Key DNA template elements are labeled. The coding sequence for the protein of interest, here the NP, is placed under the transcriptional control of a T7 promoter for efficient expression. At the N-terminus, the NP protein is appended with a SpyTag for specific detection using the SpyCatcher2-Apex2 detection reagent. The x6His-tag and TEV protease sites, although included as part of the general LET design, are dispensable for CFDB purposes. At the termini of the linear DNA template, "upstream" and "downstream" Ter sites, each preceded by respective 50 base pair buffer sequences, are included for Tus-mediated protection against exonucleolytic DNA degradation in the cell-free lysate. Abbreviations: NP = nucleocapsid protein; LET = linear expression template; TEV = tobacco etch virus; CFDB = cell-free dot blot. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
2. Purification of the SpyCatcher2-Apex2 reporter protein
3. Cell-free production and quality check of antigens
4. Serum samples
5. Cell-free Dot Blot (CFDB) procedure

Figure 2: CFDB assembly. A schematic of the CFDB master grid and NC membrane assembly setup. The master grid is overlaid on the NC membrane to provide a regular, addressable pattern for spotting and immobilization of serum samples. Abbreviations: CFDB = cell-free dot blot; NC = nitrocellulose. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.

Figure 3: A schematic representation of the CFDB workflow. In a CFDB assay, a small amount (<0.4 μL) of 10x diluted serum samples is manually dispensed onto a precut nitrocellulose membrane (left panel) in discrete, addressable locations (middle panel). Depositing one serum sample per spot in triplicate spots and immobilizing the protein content, including the sera's total antibody reservoir, on the solid NC substrate (beige spots in the middle panel). In this example, anti-NP antibodies contained in the serum samples can be first bound by the CFDB primary detection reagent SpyTag-NP and finally detected by the CFDB secondary detection reagent SpyCatcher2-Apex2 (right panel-magnified bubble). This figure was taken from Norouzi et al.5. Abbreviations: CFDB = cell-free dot blot; NP = nucleocapsid protein; LET = linear expression template. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
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PCR amplification of the linear expression template for target antigen
To PCR-amplify the SARS-CoV-2 NP LET, universal Ter forward and reverse primers were used as described in protocol section 1.2 and 1 μL of the product was checked on an agarose gel (Figure 4) before proceeding to the purification of the PCR product.
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COVID-19 highlighted the importance of accessible and robust diagnostics for controlling infection outbreaks and optimizing global health strategies. Serological testing that detects protective antibodies proved essential for tracking transmissibility patterns of new variants, identifying hot spots, guiding vaccine development, triaging suspected cases and protecting vulnerable populations14. The pandemic also exposed inequities in testing accessibility, exasperated by backlogs and requirements fo...
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M.N. and K.P. are co-inventors of the cell-free dot blot method. A provisional patent application related to this work has been filed (PCT/CA2024/050097, filed January 2024).
S.S. and R.Z. are supported by funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Contract No. N66001-23-2-4042. The views, opinions, and/or findings expressed are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official views or policies of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. This work was supported by funds to K.P. from the CIHR Foundation grant program (201610FDN-375469), CIHR Canada Research Chair Program (950-231075 and 950-233107), University of Toronto's Medicine by Design Initiative, which receives funding from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund and funds to K.P., from Defense Research and Development Canada's, Canadian Safety and Security Program (contract 39903-200137). Figure 1 and Supplemental Figure S1 were created using SnapGene Viewer.
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| 姓名 | 公司 | 目录编号 | 评论 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 kb DNA 分子量标准 | NEB | N3232 | 用作琼脂糖凝胶的大小标记物 |
| 20 个氨基酸 | Sigma-Aldrich | LAA21-1KT | 无细胞反应的组分 溶液 B |
| 2 mm 活检穿刺器 | Integra Miltex | 33-31-P/25 | 用于制备 CFDB 主网格 |
| 5-氨基乙酰丙酸盐酸盐 | Sigma-Aldrich | A3785 | 用于诱导 SpyCatcher2-Apex2 琼脂糖粉末的血红素前体 |
| BioShop | AGA002 | ||
| 抗 SARS-CoV2-核衣壳抗体 | Sinobiological | 40588-T62 | 用于无细胞产生的 NP 抗原的 WB 检测 |
| Bio-Rad ChemiDoc XRS+ | Bio-Rad | N/A | 凝胶成像仪 |
| 离心浓缩器 | Cytiva | 28-9323-60 | 用于蛋白质的浓缩和缓冲液交换 |
| 离心 | Eppendorf | EP022628257 | 用于收获细菌培养 |
| 物 辅酶 钠盐水合物 (CoA) | Sigma-Aldrich | C3144 | 无细胞反应溶液的组分 A |
| 彩色预染蛋白标准品(范围广) | NEB | P7719 | 用作 SDS-PAGE 凝胶的尺寸标记 |
| Covid-19 血清面板 | RayBiotech | CoV-PosSet | 用于验证和优化 CFDB 试剂/条件 |
| 的预表征血清D-(&-us;)-3-磷酸甘油酸二钠盐 (3-PGA) | Sigma-Aldrich | P8877 | A 无细胞反应组分 溶液 B |
| 二硫苏糖醇 (DTT) | Sigma-Aldrich | 10197777001 | 缓冲液组分 |
| 大肠杆菌 5-α | NEB | C2987 | 用于质粒制备 |
| 大肠杆菌 BL21 | NEB | C2530 | 用于制备游离裂解物 |
| 大肠杆菌 BL21 (DE3) | NEB | C2527 | 用于 SpyCatcher2-Apex2 的表达 |
| 不含 EDTA 的蛋白酶抑制剂片 | Sigma-Aldrich | 11836153001 | 大肠杆菌裂解缓冲液 |
| Eppendorf 的一种成分 新不伦瑞克省 Innova 43/43R 培养箱摇床 | Eppendorf | EPM1320 | 培养箱,用于培养大肠杆菌细胞,用于蛋白质表达和无细胞裂解物制备 |
| 亚叶酸 | Sigma-Aldrich | 47612 | 无细胞反应溶液的组分 甘 |
| 油 | Sigma-Aldrich | G9012 | SpyCatcher2-Apex2 储存缓冲液组分 |
| 血红素氯化物 | Sigma-Aldrich | H9039 | 用于 SpyCatcher2-Apex2 的血红素补充剂 |
| 过氧化氢 30% | Sigma-Aldrich | H1009 | 用于制作 ECL 试剂 |
| 图像实验室软件 | 用于 ChemiDoc 凝胶的 Bio-Rad | 1709690 | 软件 成像仪器 |
| 异丙基-b-D-1-硫代吡喃半乳糖苷 | Bioshop | IPT001 | 用于诱导 SpyCatcher2-Apex2 expressikon |
| 硫酸卡那霉素 | Sigma-Aldrich | 60615 | 用于制备 SpyCatcher2-Apex2 细菌培养 |
| 物 LB 琼脂 | BioShop | LBL406 | 用于大肠杆菌生长 |
| LB 肉汤 | BioShop | LBL407 | 用于大肠杆菌生长 |
| 鲁米诺 | Sigma-Aldrich | A4685 | 用于制备 ECL 试剂 |
| 菌酶 | Sigma-Aldrich | L6876 | 用于裂解细菌细胞 |
| 乙酸镁 | Sigma-Aldrich | M5661 | 无细胞反应的组分 溶液 B |
| NEBExpress Ni 树脂 | NEB | S1428S | 用于纯化 SpyCatcher2-Apex2 |
| 脱脂奶粉 | Bioshop | SKI400 | 用于封闭 WB 和 CFDB 膜 |
| 封口膜 | Bemis | 2099-1337410 | 用于 CFDB 印迹的 ECL 孵育 |
| p-香豆酸 | Sigma-Aldrich | C9008 | 用于制备 ECL 试剂 |
| pET24b-SpyCatcher2-Apex2 质粒 | Pardee 实验室 | N/A | 用于表达 SpyCatcher2-Apex2 蛋白 |
| 培养皿 | Fisherbrand | FB0875712 | WB 和 CFDB 膜孵育容器 |
| 磷酸盐缓冲盐水 10% | BioShop | PBS405 | 缓冲液组分 |
| 谷氨酸钾 | Sigma-Aldrich | G1501 | 无细胞反应的组分 溶液 B |
| 草酸钾一水合物(草酸) | Sigma-Aldrich | 223425 | 无细胞反应的组分 溶液 A |
| 预制 SDS-PAGE 凝胶 | BioRad | 4561036EDU | 用于蛋白质 |
| Q5 高保真 DNA 聚合酶 | NEB | M0491 | 用于 LET 的 PCR 扩增 |
| QIAquick PCR 纯化试剂盒 | Qiagen | 28106 | 用于纯化 LETs |
| 核糖核苷酸溶液套装 | NEB | N0450S | 无细胞反应溶液 A |
| 脱脂奶粉 | BioShop | SKI400 | 用作蛋白质印迹和 CFDB 的封闭剂 |
| 氯化钠 | Sigma-Aldrich | S9625 | 蛋白质纯化缓冲液的组分 |
| Sonicator | Qsonica | Q500 | 用于裂解细菌细胞 |
| 亚精胺 | Sigma-Aldrich | S2626 | 无细胞反应的组分 溶液 A |
| 针式过滤器 | Sigma-Aldrich | SLGSR33SS | 用于缓冲液和溶液的灭菌 |
| 热循环仪 | BioRad | T100 | 培养 PCR 反应的仪器 |
| 转移 RNA (tRNA) | Sigma-Aldrich | R8759 | 无细胞反应溶液的一种组分 |
| Tris 缓冲盐水 | Thermo Scientific | J60764。K2 | WB 和 CFDB 洗涤缓冲液的组分 |
| Trizma 碱 | Sigma-Aldrich | T1503 | 用于制备 tris 缓冲液 |
| Tunair SS-5012 半挡板摇瓶,2.5 L | Cole-Parmer | RK-01835-39 | 用于培养大肠杆菌细胞的容器,用于蛋白质表达和无细胞裂解物制备 |
| Tween-20 | BioShop | TWN510 | WB 和 CFDB 洗涤缓冲液的组分 |
| 镊子 | Almedic | 7728-A10-100 | 用于处理 CFDB NC 膜 |
| 紫外-可见分光光度计 | Thermo Scientific | 13400518 | 用于测量核酸和 DNA 浓度以及细菌培养物 OD |
| WHO 抗 SARS-CoV-2 免疫葡萄糖素国际参考小组 | NISBC | 20/268 | 用于验证和优化 CFDB 试剂/条件 |
| 的预表征血清&β;-烟酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸水合物 (NAD) | Sigma-Aldrich | 10127965001 | 无细胞反应溶液 A 的组分 |
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