Development of a visual loop-mediated isothermal amplification method for rapid detection of the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas putida of the large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea)

In recent years, the large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea), an important marine fish farmed in the coastal areas of Zhejiang province, east China, has become severely endangered as a result of the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas putida. This paper reports the development of a visual loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid detection of the pathogen. Four primers, F3, B3, FIP and BIP, were designed on the basis of DNA sequence of the rpoN gene of P. putida. After optimization of the reaction conditions, the detection limit of LAMP assay was 4.8 cfu per reaction, 10-fold higher than that of conventional PCR. The assay showed high specificity to discriminate all P. putida isolates from nine other Gram-negative bacteria. The assay also successfully detected the pathogen DNA in the tissues of infected fish. For visual LAMP without cross-contamination, SYBR Green I was embedded in a microcrystalline wax capsule and preset in the reaction tubes; after the reaction the wax was melted at 85 °C to release the dye and allow intercalation with the amplicons. The simple, highly sensitive, highly specific and cost-effective characteristics of visual LAMP may encourage its application in the rapid diagnosis of this pathogen.

► A visual LAMP assay for rapid detection of Pseudomonas putida is developed.
► The assay is sensitive with a detection limit of 4.8 cfu per reaction.
► It is highly specific to discriminate all P. putida isolates from other strains.
► It successfully detected the pathogen DNA in tissues of infected fish.