Construction of a signal amplifier system for riboregulators

• Grant number: 18/24272-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): September 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Danielle Biscaro Pedrolli
• Grantee: Rafael Augusto Lopes Franco
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The precise diagnosis of diseases such as Dengue and Zika is made nowadays by techniques such as ELISA and RT-PCR, which require particular laboratory resources and the handling by technicians, that makes the diagnosis expensive and, mainly, time-consuming. In addition, the demanded laboratory structure makes the diagnosis impracticable in remote regions of Brazil and also in other affected tropical countries. The development of a diagnostic kit that is fast, simple to use and results in a visual response for such viral illnesses, has the potential to speed up the diagnosis allowing the appropriate treatment to be applied immediately. This project proposes the development of a synthetic DNA circuit for gene expression in vitro to be used for rapid identification of viral RNA from Zika and Dengue. In order to do this, specific riboregulators previously constructed to detect Zika and Dengue viral RNA will be employed. The synthetic circuit will be used to amplify the signal from the riboregulators. For this purpose, a flip recombinase will control the direction of the promoter driving the transcription of the reporter gene. In turn, the recombinase will have its translation controlled by one of the already constructed riboregulators. Two reporter genes options for in vitro gene expression will also be tested. It is intended to develop a response to the test that is visual. We expect to build a synthetic genetic circuit that can be applied to the detection of viral RNA for fast and simple diagnosis of Zika and Dengue. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

FRANCO, Rafael Augusto Lopes. Construction of a signal amplifier system for riboregulators. 2021. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas. Araraquara Araraquara.