Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Receptor-Binding Domain Antibody using a HiBiT-Based Bioreporter

Summary

The outlined protocol describes the procedure for producing the HiBiT-receptor-binding domain protein complex and its application for fast and sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

Abstract

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for better serological detection methods to determine the epidemiologic impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The increasing number of SARS-CoV-2 infections raises the need for better antibody detection assays. Current antibody detection methods compromise sensitivity for speed or are sensitive but time-consuming. A large proportion of SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies target the receptor-binding domain (RBD), one of the primary immunogenic compartments of SARS-CoV-2. We have recently designed and developed a highly sensitive, bioluminescent-tagged RBD (NanoLuc HiBiT-RBD) to detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The following text describes the procedure to produce the HiBiT-RBD complex and a fast assay to evaluate the presence of RBD-targeting antibodies using this tool. Due to the durability of the HiBiT-RBD protein product over a wide range of temperatures and the shorter experimental procedure that can be completed within 1 h, the protocol can be considered as a more efficient alternative to detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in patient serum samples.

Introduction

The recent emergence of a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV2¹, has caused more than 2,800,000 fatalities and 128 million infections as of March 30^th, 2021². Due to the lack of a reliable and well-established treatment procedure for SARS-CoV-2 clinical therapies, many endeavors have been made to restrict further viral transmission and more importantly, to develop an effective and robust treatment or a vaccine³. To date, there are more than 50 COVID-19 vaccine candidates in trials reported by the World Health Organization⁴. Detection of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 is of ....

Protocol

NOTE: The protocol described below adheres to all ethics guidelines according to protocol code 20200371-01H.

1. Production and evaluation of the HiBiT-RBD bioreporter

1. Producing a sufficient quantity of HiBiT-RBD bioreporter
   1. Prepare for cell culture
      1. Prepare complete Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM) containing 10% fetal bovine serum and 1% penicillin/streptomycin. Then, warm the media in a 37 °C water bath.
      2. Turn the biological safety cabinet (BSC) on, and use 70% v/v ethanol for sterilizing the cabinet surface.
   2. Culture the cell line.
      1. Tak....

Results

The signals from both the HiBit-RBD-containing cell lysate and supernatant of the transfected cells were recorded (Figure 2) to evaluate the appropriate protein source. HiBiT-RBD and LgBit were separately used as controls, and the data showed low background compared to a strong signal when both parts were combined. Hence, HiBiT-RBD interaction with LgBiT is necessary to generate active enzyme for substrate digestion and bioluminescence activity (Figure 1).

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Discussion

The increasing number of people infected with the SARS-CoV-2 and the ongoing effort for global vaccination necessitates sensitive and fast serologic tests that can be used in large-scale serosurveys. Recent research shows that split nanoluciferase-based bioreporters can be used to develop such assays. We recently developed the HiBiT-RBD bioreporter to design a test that can be used to detect SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies in patient serum in a fast and reliable fashion (Figure 4C).

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
5x Passive Lysis Buffer	Promega	E194A	30 mL
Bio-Plex Handheld Magnetic Washer	Bio-Rad	171020100
DMEM	Sigma	D6429-500ml
Dual-Glo luciferase Assay System	Promega	E2940	100 mL kit
Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS)	Sigma	F1051
HiBiT-RBD Plasmid			gacggatcgggagatctcccgatcccctatggt gcactctcagtacaatctgctctgatgccgcata gttaagccagtatctgctccctgcttgtgtgttgg aggtcgctgagtagtgcgcgagcaaaattta agctacaacaaggcaaggcttgaccgacaa ttgcatgaagaatctgcttagggttaggcgttttg cgctgcttcgcgatgtacgggccagatatacgc gttgacattgattattgactagttattaatagt aatcaattacggggtcattagttcatagcccat atatggagttccgcgttacataacttacggtaa atggcccgcctggctgaccgcccaacgaccc ccgcccattgacgtcaataatgacgtatgttccc atagtaacgccaatagggactttccattgacgtc aatgggtggagtatttacggtaaactgcccact tggcagtacatcaagtgtatcatatgccaagta cgccccctattgacgtcaatgacggtaaatgg cccgcctggcattatgcccagtacatgaccttat gggactttcctacttggcagtacatctacgtat tagtcatcgctattaccatggtgatgcggtttt ggcagtacatcaatgggcgtggatagcggtttg actcacggggatttccaagtctccaccccattg acgtcaatgggagtttgttttggcaccaaaatc aacgggactttccaaaatgtcgtaacaactccg ccccattgacgcaaatgggcggtaggcgtgta cggtgggaggtctatataagcagagctctctgg ctaactagagaacccactgcttactggcttatcg aaattaatacgactcactatagggagacccaa gctggctagcgtttaaacttaagcttggtaccga gctcggatccgccaccATGGAGACAGA CACACTCCTGCTATGGGTACTGC TGCTCTGGGTTCCAGGTTCCAC TGGTGACtctggctctagcggctctggctct agcggcggcATGGTGAGCGGCTG GCGGCTGTTCAAGAAGATTAGC tctagcggcGACTACAAGGACC ACGACGGTGACTACAAGGACCA CGACATCGACTACAAGGACGAC GACGACAAGggcagcggctccggca gcagcggaggaggaggctctggaggagga ggctctagcggcggcaacatcacaaatctgtg cccattcggcgaggtgtttaacgccaccagat ttgccagcgtgtatgcctggaaccggaagaga atctctaattgcgtggccgactatagcgtgct gtacaatagcgcctccttctctacctttaagt gctatggcgtgtcccccacaaagctgaacgac ctgtgcttcaccaacgtgtacgccgactcttttgt gatcaggggcgatgaggtgcgccagatcgc acctggacagacaggcaagatcgccgactac aactataagctgccagacgatttcaccggct gcgtgatcgcctggaatagcaacaatctggatt ccaaagtgggcggcaactacaattatctgtac cggctgttcagaaagagcaacctgaagccctt tgagcgggatatcagcacagagatctaccag gcaggctccaccccttgcaacggagtggagg gcttcaattgttattttcccctgcagagctacggc ttccagcctacaaatggcgtgggctatcagcca tacagggtggtggtgctgtcctttgagctgctg cacgcacctgcaaccgtgtcctctggacacatc gagggccgccacatgctggagatgggccatc atcaccatcatcaccaccaccaccactgatag cggccgctcgagtctagagggcccgtttaaac ccgctgatcagcctcgactgtgccttctagtt gccagccatctgttgtttgcccctcccccgtg ccttccttgaccctggaaggtgccactcccac tgtcctttcctaataaaatgaggaaattgcat cgcattgtctgagtaggtgtcattctattctgggg ggtggggtggggcaggacagcaaggggga ggattgggaagacaatagcaggcatgctggg gatgcggtgggctctatggcttctgaggcggaa agaaccagctggggctctagggggtatcccca cgcgccctgtagcggcgcattaagcgcggcg ggtgtggtggttacgcgcagcgtgaccgctac acttgccagcgccctagcgcccgctcctttcg ctttcttcccttcctttctcgccacgttcgccggctt tccccgtcaagctctaaatcgggggctcccttta gggttccgatttagtgctttacggcacctcgacc ccaaaaaacttgattagggtgatggttcacgta gtgggccatcgccctgatagacggtttttcgcc ctttgacgttggagtccacgttctttaatagtg gactcttgttccaaactggaacaacactcaacc ctatctcggtctattcttttgatttataagggatttt gccgatttcggcctattggttaaaaaatgagctg atttaacaaaaatttaacgcgaattaattctgt ggaatgtgtgtcagttagggtgtggaaagtccc caggctccccagcaggcagaagtatgcaaag catgcatctcaattagtcagcaaccaggtgtgg aaagtccccaggctccccagcaggcagaagt atgcaaagcatgcatctcaattagtcagcaac catagtcccgcccctaactccgcccatcccgc ccctaactccgcccagttccgcccattctccgcc ccatggctgactaattttttttatttatgcagaggc cgaggccgcctctgcctctgagctattccagaa gtagtgaggaggcttttttggaggcctaggcttttg caaaaagctcccgggagcttgtatatccattttc ggatctgatcaagagacaggatgaggatcgttt cgcatgattgaacaagatggattgcacgcagg ttctccggccgcttgggtggagaggctattcggc tatgactgggcacaacagacaatcggctgctct gatgccgccgtgttccggctgtcagcgcagggg cgcccggttctttttgtcaagaccgacctgtccgg tgccctgaatgaactgcaggacgaggcagcg cggctatcgtggctggccacgacgggcgttcct tgcgcagctgtgctcgacgttgtcactgaagcg ggaagggactggctgctattgggcgaagtgcc ggggcaggatctcctgtcatctcaccttgctcctg ccgagaaagtatccatcatggctgatgcaatg cggcggctgcatacgcttgatccggctacctgc ccattcgaccaccaagcgaaacatcgcatcg agcgagcacgtactcggatggaagccggtct tgtcgatcaggatgatctggacgaagagcat caggggctcgcgccagccgaactgttcgcca ggctcaaggcgcgcatgcccgacggcgagg atctcgtcgtgacccatggcgatgcctgcttg ccgaatatcatggtggaaaatggccgctttt ctggattcatcgactgtggccggctgggtgt ggcggaccgctatcaggacatagcgttggct acccgtgatattgctgaagagcttggcggcg aatgggctgaccgcttcctcgtgctttacgg tatcgccgctcccgattcgcagcgcatcgcc ttctatcgccttcttgacgagttcttctgagcg ggactctggggttcgaaatgaccgaccaag cgacgcccaacctgccatcacgagatttcgat tccaccgccgccttctatgaaaggttgggctt cggaatcgttttccgggacgccggctggatga tcctccagcgcggggatctcatgctggagt tcttcgcccaccccaacttgtttattgcagctta taatggttacaaataaagcaatagcatcacaa atttcacaaataaagcatttttttcactgcatt ctagttgtggtttgtccaaactcatcaatgtat cttatcatgtctgtataccgtcgacctctagct agagcttggcgtaatcatggtcatagctgtttc ctgtgtgaaattgttatccgctcacaattccacac aacatacgagccggaagcataaagtgtaaag cctggggtgcctaatgagtgagctaactcacat taattgcgttgcgctcactgcccgctttccagtc gggaaacctgtcgtgccagctgcattaatgaa tcggccaacgcgcggggagaggcggtttgcg tattgggcgctcttccgcttcctcgctcactgactc gctgcgctcggtcgttcggctgcggcgagcggt atcagctcactcaaaggcggtaatacggttatc cacagaatcaggggataacgcaggaaagaa catgtgagcaaaaggccagcaaaaggccag gaaccgtaaaaaggccgcgttgctggcgtttt tccataggctccgcccccctgacgagcatcac aaaaatcgacgctcaagtcagaggtggcgaa acccgacaggactataaagataccaggcgtt tccccctggaagctccctcgtgcgctctcctgtt ccgaccctgccgcttaccggatacctgtccgcc tttctcccttcgggaagcgtggcgctttctcat agctcacgctgtaggtatctcagttcggtgtag gtcgttcgctccaagctgggctgtgtgcacgaa ccccccgttcagcccgaccgctgcgccttatcc ggtaactatcgtcttgagtccaacccggtaag acacgacttatcgccactggcagcagccactg gtaacaggattagcagagcgaggtatgtaggc ggtgctacagagttcttgaagtggtggcctaact acggctacactagaagaacagtatttggtatc tgcgctctgctgaagccagttaccttcggaaa aagagttggtagctcttgatccggcaaacaaa ccaccgctggtagcggtggtttttttgtttgca agcagcagattacgcgcagaaaaaaaggat ctcaagaagatcctttgatcttttctacggggt ctgacgctcagtggaacgaaaactcacgttaa gggattttggtcatgagattatcaaaaaggatct tcacctagatccttttaaattaaaaatgaagtt ttaaatcaatctaaagtatatatgagtaaactt ggtctgacagttaccaatgcttaatcagtgagg cacctatctcagcgatctgtctatttcgttcatcca tagttgcctgactccccgtcgtgtagataactac gatacgggagggcttaccatctggccccagtg ctgcaatgataccgcgagacccacgctcacc ggctccagatttatcagcaataaaccagccag ccggaagggccgagcgcagaagtggtcctg caactttatccgcctccatccagtctattaattgtt gccgggaagctagagtaagtagttcgccagtt aatagtttgcgcaacgttgttgccattgctacag gcatcgtggtgtcacgctcgtcgtttggtatgg cttcattcagctccggttcccaacgatcaaggc gagttacatgatcccccatgttgtgcaaaaaag cggttagctccttcggtcctccgatcgttgtca gaagtaagttggccgcagtgttatcactcatggt tatggcagcactgcataattctcttactgtcatg ccatccgtaagatgcttttctgtgactggtgagta ctcaaccaagtcattctgagaatagtgtatgcg gcgaccgagttgctcttgcccggcgtcaatacg ggataataccgcgccacatagcagaactttaa aagtgctcatcattggaaaacgttcttcggggc gaaaactctcaaggatcttaccgctgttgagat ccagttcgatgtaacccactcgtgcacccaact gatcttcagcatcttttactttcaccagcgtttc tgggtgagcaaaaacaggaaggcaaaatgc cgcaaaaaagggaataagggcgacacgga aatgttgaatactcatactcttcctttttcaat attattgaagcatttatcagggttattgtc tcatgagcggatacatatttgaatgtattt agaaaaataaacaaataggggttccgcgca catttccccgaaaagtgccacctgacgtc
LgBiT	Promega	N3030
penicillin Streptomycin	Thermo Fisher Scientific	15140122
Pierce Protein G Magnetic Beads	Thermo Fisher Scientific	88848
PolyJet In Vitro DNA Transfection Reagent	Signagen	SL100688.5
SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV) Spike Neutralizing Antibody, Mouse Mab	SinoBiological	40592-MM57
Synergy Mx Microplate Reader	BioTek		96-well plate reader luminometer
Trypsin-EDTA	Thermo Fisher Scientific	2520056	0.25%