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Updated: Jun 22, 2026
11:31
'Bioluminescent' Reporter Phage for the Detection of Category A Bacterial Pathogens
Published on: July 8, 2011
Bacteriophage-based pathogen detection
1The University of Tennessee, 676 Dabney Hall, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA, saripp@utk.edu.
Advances in Biochemical Engineering/Biotechnology
|May 29, 2009
Summary
Bacteriophages (phage) are abundant biological sensors. Novel assays leverage phage
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Biotechnology
- Bio-recognition
Background:
- Bacteriophages (phage) are the most abundant organisms on Earth.
- Phage interactions with bacterial hosts have been used in phage typing for pathogen identification.
- Over 5,000 phage types are morphologically characterized, offering a vast resource for biosensing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review phage-based detection assays for bacterial pathogens.
- To highlight the application of phage as sensitive and specific bio-recognition sensors.
- To discuss novel bio-recognition assays incorporating phage technology.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on phage-based detection assays.
- Categorization of assays based on detection mechanisms (e.g., visualization, reporter phage).
- Analysis of assay sensitivity, specificity, and speed.
Main Results:
- Phage serve as highly specific bacterial sensors.
- Novel assays demonstrate enhanced sensitivity, specificity, and speed in pathogen detection.
- Assays include direct visualization, reporter phage systems, and progeny phage detection.
Conclusions:
- Phage-based assays offer powerful tools for detecting and monitoring bacterial pathogens.
- The versatility of phage enables diverse bio-recognition assay formats.
- Continued development of phage assays promises advancements in diagnostics and surveillance.
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