In situ strain-level detection and identification of Vibrio parahaemolyticus using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.
The outer membrane of a bacterium is composed of chemical and biological components that carry specific molecular information related to strains, growth stages, expressions to stimulation, and maybe even geographic differences. In this work, we demonstrate that the biochemical information embedded in the outer membrane can be used for rapid detection and identification of pathogenic bacteria using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). We used seven different strains of the marine pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus as a model system. The strains represent four genetically distinct clades isolated from clinical and environmental sources in Washington, U.S.A. The unique quasi-3D (Q3D) plasmonic nanostructure arrays, optimized using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculations, were used as SERS-active substrates for sensitive and reproducible detection of these bacteria. SERS barcodes were generated on the basis of SERS spectra and were used to successfully detect individual strains in both blind samples and mixtures. The sensing and detection methods developed in this work could have broad applications in the areas of environmental monitoring, biomedical diagnostics, and homeland security.
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States.
Jiajie
J
Xu
Jeffrey W
JW
Turner
Matthew
M
Idso
Stanley V
SV
Biryukov
Laurel
L
Rognstad
Heng
H
Gong
Vera L
VL
Trainer
Mark L
ML
Wells
Mark S
MS
Strom
Qiuming
Q
Yu
D004560:Electricity; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D057230:Limit of Detection; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013997:Time Factors; D017971:Tin Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D014736:Vibrio parahaemolyticus / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D017971:Tin Compounds; C109984:indium tin oxide; D006046:Gold