Computationally-Optimized ACE2 Peptides for Competitive Interception of SARS-CoV-2

A highly specific molecular diagnostic for the detection of an intended target protein within a matter of minutes employing a peptide beacon, the peptide beacon having a stem section having two ends attached to a fluorophore and a quencher and a loop section having a receptor sequence for binding with the intended target protein, the two ends forming a coiled-coil structure when the receptor sequence is unbound with the intended target protein and an open-coil structure when the receptor sequence is bound with the intended target protein, wherein the peptide beacons are able to provide a signal for the detection of the receptor binding domain of the intended target protein, such as SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, by the stem section transitioning from the coiled-coil structure to the open-coil structure that moves the fluorophore away from the quencher, resulting in an increase in the fluorescence yield of the peptide beacon.