Using two CRISPR enzymes, a COVID diagnostic in only 20 minutes

The reactions involved in the FIND-IT assay to detect infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. When the Cas13 enzyme (left) binds to its target RNA, it snips a molecule (orange and grey) to release an activator (orange) that supercharges the Csm6 nuclease (bottom center) to cleave and release fluorescent markers that light up (green) and signal the presence of viral RNA. Credit: Artwork courtesy of Margaret L. Liu, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine