LAMP-CRISPR Integrated Platforms for Rapid Detection of Microbial Pathogens: Principles, Applied Strategies, and the Road to Field Translation.
TL;DR
This review provides a structured overview of current LAMP-CRISPR platforms and highlights key technological considerations for translating rapid microbial pathogen detection from laboratory research to real-world applications.
Abstract
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) integrated with CRISPR-Cas systems has emerged as a promising molecular diagnostic platform for the rapid detection of microbial pathogens. By combining the efficient nucleic acid amplification of LAMP with the sequence-specific recognition capability of CRISPR-Cas effectors, these platforms offer potential advantages in analytical sensitivity, specificity, operational simplicity, and field applicability. In this review, we summarize the principles, assay formats, and recent advances of LAMP-CRISPR technologies for detecting a broad spectrum of microbial pathogens, including bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic agents across clinical, veterinary, food safety, environmental, and agricultural applications. Representative studies are compared with attention to pathogen type, sample matrix, assay design, CRISPR-Cas system, readout format, analytical performance, and practical application. We further discuss major technical challenges that continue to hinder practical implementation, particularly complex sample pretreatment, workflow integration, carry-over contamination, reagent stability, multiplexing capability, and platform standardization. Attention is given to sample pretreatment and system-level integration, including current extraction and rapid lysis strategies, closed-tube reactions, portable readouts, and microfluidic or cartridge-based formats, which may support simplified "sample-in, answer-out" diagnostic workflows. Finally, we outline future directions for improving matrix-adapted sample processing, assay robustness, standardized validation, large-scale evaluation, and field deployment. This review provides a structured overview of current LAMP-CRISPR platforms and highlights key technological considerations for translating rapid microbial pathogen detection from laboratory research to real-world applications.