Detection of sars-cov-2 using rna multi-arm junction logic gates

A loop-mediated riboregulator comprising a multi-arm junction upstream of the coding sequence of a reporter gene;

• wherein the multi-arm junction comprises from 5' to 3':
• a first base stem region, at least two sensor arms, and a second base stem region, and wherein the first base stem region is at least partially complementary to the second base stem region such that the first and second base stem regions pair to form a base stem;
• wherein each sensor arm comprises from 5' to 3':
• a first sensor stem region, a loop region, and a second sensor stem region, wherein the first sensor stem region is at least partially complementary to the second sensor stem region such that the first and second sensor stem regions pair to form a sensor stem, and wherein a portion of the loop region is at least partially complementary to a target RNA sequence;
• wherein the multi-arm junction comprises a ribosome binding site (RBS) and start codon within one of the base stem regions or sensor stem regions such that the secondary structure of the multi-arm junction conceals the RBS and start codon in the absence of target RNA sequences, and wherein binding of one or more target RNA sequences to one or more loop regions unwinds at least a portion of the secondary structure to expose the RBS and start codon thereby enabling translation of the reporter gene;
• and
• wherein the two or more target RNA sequences are from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).