About This Project

The Michigan Synthetic Biology Team is excited to be building Aptapaper, a device used to detect proteins on a simple piece of paper. We will freeze dry gene networks onto simple pieces of filter paper, to create a quick and inexpensive method of protein detection, using the targeting specificity of aptamers.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

In recent publications, scientists demonstrated that transcription and translation can occur on pieces of paper! Using synthetic DNA circuits that were freeze dried on paper, researchers created genetic "switches" that emit certain signals. In the default off stage, no signal is exhibited. When the switch is turned on by a specific RNA trigger, the switch produces a protein output. These paper-based switches can be stored at room temperature for up to a year with no significant loss of function and can be produced for less than $1 USD/paper! Inspired by these advances, our project aims to put this technology to work, by developing a paper-based system to detect any protein, and therefore diagnosis a multitude of diseases.

What is the significance of this project?

Diagnosing tropical diseases and testing for pathogens requires expensive lab equipment, trained technicians operating equipment, and time. Such diseases are often endemic in areas of the world where these resources are not available. If successful, we will be able to replace these complex processes with a small piece of filter paper. The device that we are proposing, Aptapaper, is a gene circuit on a simple piece of paper that can be used to detect specific disease proteins.

What are the goals of the project?

Transcription and translation have been shown to occur on paper and freeze dried gene circuits are reconstituted with water. While this is an exciting development, it is much more practical to detect diseases via proteins specific to the disease, rather than RNA or DNA. Our project uses a DNA aptamer to sense the protein, and then trigger an RNA toehold switch, all on paper. We plan to harness this system to produce a protein visible to the naked eye, upon addition of a protein secreted by the pathogen. The same setup can be applied to any protein, thus making a detection system that will work for a multitude of diseases.