An antibody-sensitized microfabricated cantilever for the growth detection of Aspergillus niger spores.
We demonstrate a new sensitive biosensor for detection of vital fungal spores of Aspergillus niger. The biosensor is based on silicon microfabricated cantilever arrays operated in dynamic mode. The change in resonance frequency of the sensor is a function of mass binding to the cantilever surface. For specific A. niger spore immobilization on the cantilever, each cantilever was individually coated with anti-Aspergillus niger polyclonal antibodies. We demonstrate the detection of single A. niger spores and their subsequent growth on the functionalized cantilever surface by online measurements of resonance frequency shifts. The new biosensor operating in humid air allows quantitative and qualitative detection of A. niger spores as well as detection of vital, functional spores in situ within approximately 4 h. The detection limit of the sensor is 103 CFU mL-1. Mass sensitivity of the cantilever sensor is approximately 53 pg Hz-1.
Nugaeva
Natalia
N
Institute of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland. natalia_nugaeva@unibas.ch
Gfeller
Karin Y
KY
Backmann
Natalia
N
Düggelin
Marcel
M
Lang
Hans Peter
HP
Güntherodt
Hans-Joachim
HJ
Hegner
Martin
M
D000908:Antibodies, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification
D000908:Antibodies, Fungal; D007074:Immunoglobulin G