Immunological methods for the quantitation of the industrially important bioleaching microorganisms.
To monitor the levels of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans in bioleaching operations, we have developed a specific and very sensitive dot-immunobinding assay. Polyclonal antisera against whole T. ferrooxidans cells was used, and the bacteria-antibody reaction was visualized by employing either 125I-labeled or peroxidase-conjugated protein A or 125I-labeled or peroxidase-conjugated goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin G. A minimum of 10(3) cells per dot could be easily detected. Therefore, the method allows the sensitive, and specific simultaneous processing of numerous samples in a short time.
Jerez
C A
CA
Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universida de Chile, Santiago.
Arredondo
R
R
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003124:Colorimetry; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods*; D013855:Thiobacillus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial