Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy reveals structure complexity difference in single extrapulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria with different drug resistance

Abstract

In this work, we argue that the SERS technique allows distinguishing between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant strains on the level of resolution of individual mycobacteria. This result is based on the experimental investigations of deactivated M. tuberculosis strains by the Raman spectroscopy in high-wavenumber region. A discussion of drug resistance-related complexity of emerging specific vibrational bands for proteins and lipids forming a cell’s wall is provided.

Keywords

• SERS
• Molecular structure
• Spectral lines