Rapid and sensitive detection of Penaeus monodon nucleopolyhedrovirus (PemoNPV) by loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with a lateral-flow dipstick.

Several methods such as traditional PCR or nested-PCR, immuno assay and histopathology have been developed for detection of Penaeus monodon nucleopolyhedrovirus (PemoNPV) formerly called monodon baculovirus (MBV). However, these methods have various disadvantages including low sensitivity, long assay time, use of toxic substances or unsuitability for field diagnosis. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification of target nucleotide sequences under isothermal conditions, combined with amplicon detection by chromatographic lateral-flow dipsticks allows for more efficient, field friendly detection within 75 min (not including DNA preparation time). In this study, the LAMP amplicon was biotinylated via an inner LAMP primer designed from a BamHI fragment B, a hypothetical protein gene of PemoNPV under isothermal condition at 63 degrees C for 1 h. Next, the LAMP product was hybridized at 63 degrees C for 5 min with an optimal FITC-labeled probe that was designed specifically for the LAMP amplicons. The FITC-labeled biotinylated LAMP product picked up gold-labeled, anti-FITC near the LFD origin and the whole, triple-labeled complex was captured by an immobilized biotin-binding protein to yield a red nano-gold stripe at the LFD test line. With a DNA template extracted from PemoNPV-infected shrimp, the LAMP-LFD detection limit was 0.1 pg, whereas one-step PCR and nested-PCR followed with gel electrophoresis was 1 pg. The LAMP-LFD method gave negative test results with buffer and DNA from shrimp infected with other common shrimp DNA viruses including, Penaeus monodon densovirus (PmDNV) formerly called hepatopancreatic parvovirus (HPV), white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and Penaeus stylirostris densovirus (PstDNV) formerly called infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV). The test platform can be adapted easily for rapid detection of other shrimp viruses, since the LAMP-LFD combination system was a highly sensitive, specific, convenient, and does not require sophisticated instruments.