Electrochemical biosensor array for the identification of microorganisms based on lectin-lipopolysaccharide...

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Biosensor technology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Rapid identification of bacterial strains is crucial for medical diagnostics.
• Current methods can be time-consuming, necessitating faster diagnostic tools.
• Electrochemical biosensors offer a promising avenue for rapid microbial detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an electrochemical biosensor array for rapid identification of bacterial strains.
• To utilize lectins as recognition agents targeting cell surface lipopolysaccharides.
• To assess the sensor's performance in distinguishing various microbial species.

Main Methods:

• Investigated an electrochemical biosensor array based on respiratory activity measurements.
• Employed immobilized lectins (concanavalin A) on porous membranes for specific binding to lipopolysaccharides.
• Utilized chronocoulometric measurements for captured cells on lectin-modified membranes.
• Applied principal component analysis for classification of microbial strains based on sensor responses.

Main Results:

• Optimized immobilization methods using pre-activated membranes significantly reduced lectin layer formation time.
• Demonstrated agreement between agglutination tests and electrochemical assessment of lectin-cell binding.
• Successfully distinguished six microbial species (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) using the developed sensor array.

Conclusions:

• The lectin-based electrochemical biosensor array provides a rapid and effective method for microbial identification.
• This technology has the potential to significantly improve diagnostic timelines in applied medicine.
• The sensor successfully differentiated between gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, and yeast.