Paper-based Sensing of Fucosylated Biological Compounds

Abstract

Advances in sensing technology have enabled rapid analysis of various biomolecules including complex carbohydrates. However, glycan analysis is limited by the throughput and complexity of assays for quantifying them. We describe a simple, low-cost enzymatic assay for the rapid analysis of fucosylation, down to linkage specificity, and its application to high-throughput screening of biologically relevant fucosylated compounds, to facilitate simple and straightforward analytical techniques. Paper-based devices integrate biosensor platforms and other diagnostic assays by fusing them with wax printing technology, making their fabrication even more inexpensive and simple. The specificity of the assay is established by linkage-specific glycosidic enzymes and the colorimetric output is visible to the naked eye, with costs that are lower than fluorescence/luminescence-based assays ($0.02/reaction). This platform was further improved by enhancing storage stability to retain analytical performance over time using desiccation and freeze-drying techniques. The assay platform allows analysis of hundreds of samples in minutes and we anticipate that this rapid and simple analytical method will be extended towards developing a universal glyco-barcoding platform for high throughput screening of glycosylation.