Nanotechnology for ultrafast nucleic acid amplification

Nucleic acid detection has been one of the most valued tools in point-of-care diagnostics from life science, agriculture, food safety and environmental surveillance, because of its high sensitivity, great specificity and simple operation. Since polymerase chain reactions (PCR) were discovered, more and more researchers attach importance to exploring ultrafast nucleic acid amplification methods for further expediting the process of detection and curbing infectious diseases' high spread rate, especially after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide pandemic event. Nowadays, nanotechnology as one of the most cut-ting-edge technologies has aroused growing attention. In this review, we describe new advances in na-notechnology research for ultrafast nucleic acid amplification. We have introduced commonly used nanotechnologies, namely nanofluidics, nanoporous materials, nanoparticles and so on. Recent advances in these nanotechnologies for ultrafast sample pretreatments, accelerated enzymatic amplification and rapid heating/cooling processes was summarized. Finally, challenges and perspectives for the future applications of ultrafast nucleic acid amplification are presented.(c) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Nucleic acid detection is a highly valued tool in various fields such as life science, agriculture, food safety, and environmental surveillance due to its sensitivity, specificity, and simplicity. After the global COVID-19 pandemic, there has been increasing importance placed on exploring ultrafast nucleic acid amplification methods to accelerate the detection process and control the spread of infectious diseases. This review focuses on the advances in nanotechnology research for ultrafast nucleic acid amplification, including nanofluidics, nanoporous materials, and nanoparticles. The recent progress in these nanotechnologies for sample pretreatment, enzymatic amplification acceleration, and rapid heating/cooling processes is summarized. The challenges and future applications of ultrafast nucleic acid amplification are also discussed.