Pathology

Glycan

Disease

Sialic acid

Neuraminic acid

Spike (software development)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Point of care

Infectious disease (medical specialty)

Biology

Glycoprotein

Biophysics

Software engineering

Virology

Chemistry

Immunology

Coronavirus

Computer science

Point-of-care testing

Computational biology

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)

Biochemistry

Medicine

ACS Central Science

There is an urgent need to understand the behavior of the novel coronavirus (SARS-COV-2), which is the causative agent of COVID-19, and to develop point-of-care diagnostics. Here, a glyconanoparticle platform is used to discover that N-acetyl neuraminic acid has affinity toward the SARS-COV-2 spike glycoprotein, demonstrating its glycan-binding function. Optimization of the particle size and coating enabled detection of the spike glycoprotein in lateral flow and showed selectivity over the SARS-COV-1 spike protein. Using a virus-like particle and a pseudotyped lentivirus model, paper-based lateral flow detection was demonstrated in under 30 min, showing the potential of this system as a low-cost detection platform.

The SARS-COV-2 Spike Protein Binds Sialic Acids and Enables Rapid Detection in a Lateral Flow Point of Care Diagnostic Device