Label-free detection of Phytophthora ramorum using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

In this study, we report on a novel approach for the label-free and species-specific detection of the plant pathogen Phytophthora ramorum from real samples using surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). In this context, we consider the entire analysis chain including sample preparation, DNA isolation, amplification and hybridization on SERS substrate-immobilized adenine-free capture probes. Thus, the SERS-based detection of target DNA is verified by the strong spectral feature of adenine which indicates the presence of hybridized target DNA. This property was realized by replacing adenine moieties in the species-specific capture probes with 2-aminopurine. In the case of the matching capture and target sequence, the characteristic adenine peak serves as an indicator for specific DNA hybridization. Altogether, this is the first assay demonstrating the detection of a plant pathogen from an infected plant material by label-free SERS employing DNA hybridization on planar SERS substrates consisting of silver nanoparticles.