Abstract

A rapid and sensitive detection technology is highly desirable for specific detection of E. coli O157:H7, one of the leading bacterial pathogens causing foodborne illness. In this study, we reported the rapid detection of E. coli O157:H7 by using calcium signaling of the B cell upon cellular membrane anchors anti-E. coli O157:H7 IgM. The binding of E. coli O157:H7 to the IgM on B cell surface activates the B cell receptor (BCR)-induced Ca2+ signaling pathway and results in the release of Ca2+ within seconds. The elevated intracellular Ca2+ triggers Fura-2, a fluorescent Ca2+ indicator, for reporting the presence of pathogens. The Fura-2 is transferred to B cells before detection. The study demonstrated that the developed B cell based biosensor was able to specifically detect E. coli O157:H7 at the low concentration within 10 min in pure culture samples. Finally, the B cell based biosensor was used for the detection of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef samples. With its short detection time and high sensitivity at the low concentration of the target bacteria, this B cell biosensor shows promise in future application of the high throughput and rapid food detection, biosafety and environmental monitoring.

Highlights

  • There are estimated 48 million cases of foodborne illness resulting in 3,000 deaths, and an estimated cost of 78 billion dollars per year[1,2,3]

  • Combining advantages of the sensitivity of Fura-2 to Ca2+ and the rapidness of response of B cell to antigens, a Ca2+-indicator based B cell biosensor was designed for E. coli O157:H7 detection

  • The B cell receptor (BCR) is a multisubunit protein complex composed of a membrane form of immunoglobulin (Ig) that is noncovalently associated with heterodimers of Igα and Igβ

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Summary

Introduction

There are estimated 48 million cases of foodborne illness resulting in 3,000 deaths, and an estimated cost of 78 billion dollars per year[1,2,3]. A series of fluorescent calcium indicator dyes have been developed for measurement of free intracellular calcium in eukaryotic cells and prokaryote. Fura-2 has been known as an indicator dye for measuring the concentration of free calcium ([Ca2+]i) within living cells[30,31]. The ratio of fluorescence emission at the two excitation wave lengths (340:380) is considered a reliable indicator of [Ca2+]i32,33. It has been widely used but not limited in immunology, cytology and neurology for interrogating ion channels. The innovative approach in this study is the use of a Ca2+-indicator, Fura-2 for detecting BCR-induced Ca2+ change due to an interaction between B cells and pathogens. It was found that a fluorescence ratio at 340/380 is correlated to a concentration of free intracellular Ca2+30.This technology has a great potential to provide a practical alternative for detection of E. coli O157:H7 and other pathogens

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