Digital camera and smartphone as detectors in paper-based chemiluminometric genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms

Chemi(bio)luminometric assays have contributed greatly to various areas of nucleic acid analysis due to their simplicity and detectability. In this work, we present the development of chemiluminometric genotyping methods in which (a) detection is performed by using either a conventional digital camera (at ambient temperature) or a smartphone and (b) a lateral flow assay configuration is employed for even higher simplicity and suitability for point of care or field testing. The genotyping of the C677T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of methylenetetrahydropholate reductase (MTHFR) gene is chosen as a model. The interrogated DNA sequence is amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by a primer extension reaction. The reaction products are captured through hybridization on the sensing areas (spots) of the strip. Streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate is used as a reporter along with a chemiluminogenic substrate. Detection of the emerging chemiluminescence from the sensing areas of the strip is achieved by digital camera or smartphone. For this purpose, we constructed a 3D-printed smartphone attachment that houses inexpensive lenses and converts the smartphone into a portable chemiluminescence imager. The device enables spatial discrimination of the two alleles of a SNP in a single shot by imaging of the strip, thus avoiding the need of dual labeling. The method was applied successfully to genotyping of real clinical samples.