Sensitive Detection of Salmonella Based on CRISPR-Cas12a and the Tetrahedral DNA Nanostructure-Mediated Hyperbranched Hybridization Chain Reaction

Salmonella severely threatens global human health and causes financial burden. The ability to sensitively detect Salmonella in food samples is highly valuable but remains a challenge. Herein, a sensitive detection method for Salmonella was developed by coupling immunomagnetic separation with the CRISPR-Cas12a system and the tetrahedral DNA nanostructure-mediated hyperbranched hybridization chain reaction (TDN-hHCR). In the detection system, the target Salmonella was immunomagnetically separated and labeled with bio-barcode DNA-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which could transfer and magnify the signal of a bacterial cell into numerous bio-barcode DNA molecules. Afterward, the bio-barcode DNA can trigger the trans-cleavage activity of CRISPR-Cas12a to inhibit the process of the TDN-hHCR to generate a fluorescence readout. Due to the high immunomagnetic separation efficiency and the effective signal amplification of CRISPR-Cas12a and the TDN-hHCR, Salmonella as low as 8 CFU/mL could be easily detected. Meanwhile, this has been applied for practical use and showed the capability to detect 17 and 25 CFU/mL in spiked milk and egg white, respectively, indicating its potential application in real samples.