Glucose meter enabled DNA sensing platform for mutation detection

Overview

This solution adapts an established invertase-based signal transduction method—previously validated for antibody-antigen detection—into a DNA sensing workflow compatible with a standard personal glucose meter. The approach uses magnetic bead-bound forward primers and biotinylated reverse primers that anneal at a target mutation site. Streptavidin-linked invertase then binds to the biotinylated complex, and sucrose hydrolysis produces glucose, which is read directly on any consumer glucose meter. The platform is designed to eliminate the need for expensive laboratory instruments such as PCR machines or spectrophotometers, making DNA-based diagnostics potentially accessible in low-resource or point-of-care settings.

Technical specifications

Core mechanism:

• Heat-treated single-stranded DNA samples undergo hybridization with complementary primers
• Forward primers are conjugated to magnetic beads for simplified extraction and washing
• Biotinylated reverse primers anneal at the target region, including the mutational point of interest
• Streptavidin-conjugated invertase binds to the biotinylated primer-target complex
• Sucrose addition triggers invertase-mediated hydrolysis, generating glucose
• Glucose concentration is measured using a standard personal glucose meter

Key advantages:

• Compatible with any general-purpose personal glucose meter
• Magnetic bead-based separation reduces sample handling complexity
• Avoids isothermal amplification when target DNA concentrations are sufficient
• Builds on previously published antibody-antigen invertase detection work

Technology readiness level

The invertase hydrolysis system has been validated for protein (antibody-antigen) detection in published prior work. The DNA hybridization adaptation has not yet been experimentally tested. Future validation involves cloning and producing recombinant invertase, designing target-specific primers, and evaluating whether target concentration levels can generate sufficient invertase binding to produce a glucose meter readout that reliably differentiates positive from negative controls. Preliminary data development is expected to take one to two years. The team is seeking partners who can provide clinical or genetic samples, technical guidance on product translation, and funding for personnel and materials.