SOLIScript® - technology from mythology

  • Published: 22 August 2022
Anyone even only slightly familiar with Greek mythology knows about the chimera - a mythological creature with the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail with the head of a serpent. The main takeaway being that it is an organism composed of different animals, different sets of DNA.

What ancient Greeks came up with thousands of years ago hasn’t disappeared in the modern world. This time around the chimeras aren’t just part of stories, but actually exist in the world with us. But what scientists are most interested in are chimeras on a much smaller scale, for example chimeric enzymes.

To make enzymes that are efficient in research and diagnostics one often needs better solutions than nature has to offer. This is where chimeras are used. By combining the best parts of different species’ enzymes it is possible to get the ultimate enzyme with the biggest efficiency.

We have been, in addition to our patented Stability TAG technology [1][2][3], developing next-generation enzymes that contain domains from multiple species. Our newly patented technology allowed us to develop chimeric synthetic reverse transcriptase with very special characteristics - SOLIScript® [4].

In addition to the Stability TAG, SOLIScript® contains a reverse transcriptase domain from Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus and a RNase H domain from Thermococcus litoralis, a species of archaea that can withstand very high temperatures. For this reason, it is not just thermostable (reaction temperature up to 60° C or more), but also more reactive than regular reverse transcriptases. Because of the extra stability the product will be shipped to you at room temperature, which is environmentally and wallet friendly.

Figure 1. SOLIScript® Reverse Transcriptase structure. The structure of this chimeric reverse transcriptase protein is composed of M-MLV RT (blue) and Thermococcus litoralis RNase H II (green) domains. The Stability TAG is depicted in yellow. The 3D structure of the protein was produced using AlphaFold2 system.

SOLIScript® is the best option when it comes to RT-qPCR, especially when combined with RiboGrip®. The latter is a chimeric ribonuclease inhibitor developed also by us. RNA templates suitable for the SOLIScript® reverse transcriptase stem from different material types: pro- and eukaryotic cells, tissues, organs and different organisms. The enzyme is also compatible with several RNA types, enabling miRNA profiling, viral RNA detection, gene knockdown validation etc. The reverse transcribed cDNA product can then be used for PCR, Strand Displacement Amplification (SDA), Nucleic Acid Sequence-Based Amplification (NASBA), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and more.

Because of the wide range of possibilities for application, we have many different kits that include SOLIScript®. The best options are the 1-step kits, which are super convenient for performing highly specific cDNA synthesis and probe-based qPCR in a single tube. These kits help avoid contamination risk, make the workflow much easier and can also be used to detect multiple targets from the same sample. For more information check SOLIScript® 1-step Probe Kit and SOLIScript® 1-step Multiplex Probe Kit. For intercalating dye-based detection of a single target, we have a special SOLIScript® 1-step SolisGreen® Kit.

Furthermore, SOLIScript® is excellent when it comes to developing coronavirus testing kits. We offer SOLIScript® 1-step CoV Kit, which can be combined with different COVID-19 assays to create your very own coronavirus testing kit. We also have a complete ready for use kit for COVID-19 testing - SOLIScript® SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR Multiplex Assay Kit 2.0 (Research Use Only). In addition, there is a CE IVD certified COVID-19 diagnostic kit for which you need to contact sales@solisbiodyne.com.

Additionally to offering regular catalogue products we develop custom solutions for diagnostic kit producers. SOLIScript® is also used in the faster and more robust 1-step RT-qPCR kits, which have been specially designed for customers upon demand. So, if you have any specific request do not hesitate to contact us at Solis BioDyne and together we can certainly find the best solution for you.

References
[1] Kahre, O., Artma, K., Kahre, T. (2015). Compositions for increasing polypeptide stability and activity, and related methods (European Patent No. 2501716 B1). European Patent Office.
[2] Kahre, O., Artma, K., Kahre, T. (2016). Compositions for increasing polypeptide stability and activity, and related methods (US Patent No. 9,321,999 B2). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
[3] Kahre, O., Artma, K., Kahre, T. (2017). Compositions for increasing polypeptide stability and activity, and related methods (South Korea Patent No. 10-1773636 B1). Korean Intellectual Property Office
[4] Kahre, O. (2021). Synthetic reverse transcriptases and uses thereof (US Patent No.11,046,940). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.