Selective Detection of <i>Legionella pneumophila</i> Serogroup 1 and 5 with a Digital Photocorrosion Biosensor Using Antimicrobial Peptide-Antibody Sandwich Strategy
M. Amirul Islam,
Walid M. Hassen,
Ishika Ishika,
Azam F. Tayabali,
Jan J. Dubowski
Affiliations
M. Amirul Islam
Laboratory for Quantum Semiconductors and Photon-Based BioNanotechnology, Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), CNRS UMI-3463, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, 3000, Boul. de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, Canada
Walid M. Hassen
Laboratory for Quantum Semiconductors and Photon-Based BioNanotechnology, Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), CNRS UMI-3463, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, 3000, Boul. de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, Canada
Ishika Ishika
Laboratory for Quantum Semiconductors and Photon-Based BioNanotechnology, Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), CNRS UMI-3463, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, 3000, Boul. de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, Canada
Azam F. Tayabali
Biotechnology Laboratory, Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Environmental Health Centre, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada
Jan J. Dubowski
Laboratory for Quantum Semiconductors and Photon-Based BioNanotechnology, Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), CNRS UMI-3463, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, 3000, Boul. de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 0A5, Canada
Rapid detection of Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila) is important for monitoring the presence of these bacteria in water sources and preventing the transmission of the Legionnaires’ disease. We report improved biosensing of L. pneumophila with a digital photocorrosion (DIP) biosensor functionalized with an innovative structure of cysteine-modified warnericin antimicrobial peptides for capturing bacteria that are subsequently decorated with anti-L. pneumophila polyclonal antibodies (pAbs). The application of peptides for the operation of a biosensing device was enabled by the higher bacterial-capture efficiency of peptides compared to other traditional ligands, such as those based on antibodies or aptamers. At the same time, the significantly stronger affinity of pAbs decorating the L. pneumophila serogroup-1 (SG-1) compared to serogroup-5 (SG-5) allowed for the selective detection of L. pneumophila SG-1 at 50 CFU/mL. The results suggest that the attractive sensitivity of the investigated sandwich method is related to the flow of an extra electric charge between the pAb and a charge-sensing DIP biosensor. The method has the potential to offer highly specific and sensitive detection of L. pneumophila as well as other pathogenic bacteria and viruses.
