Combination of biobarcode assay with on-chip capillary electrophoresis for ultrasensitive and multiplex biological agent detection

Early diagnosis of biological agents is of paramount importance to prevent the casualties and fatal disease in human during bioterrorism or biological warfare. In this study, we reported an efficient and sensitive multiplex biological agent detection method based on the DNA biobarcode assay and the micro-capillary electrophoresis (μCE) technology. Monoplex as well as multiplex pathogen identification was performed using five targets including Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis, Yersinia pestis, Vaccinia virus and Botulinum toxin A. Through the DNA biobarcode assay process, the magnetic microparticle-pathogen-polystyrene microbead complexes were formed, and the FAM labeled single stranded barcode DNA could be released from the complexes upon denaturation. Different lengths of a barcode DNA were designed to designate each pathogen, so that the specific peak elution time in the capillary electrophoresis on a chip allows us to distinguish the target with high accuracy within 3 min. We improved the assignment accuracy of the peak in the electropherogram by adding two bracket ladders. Owing to the abundant amount of barcode DNAs, the presence of B. anthracis, F. tularensis, Y. pestis, Vaccinia virus was confirmed with a limit of detection of 50 CFU/mL, while Botulinum toxin A was analyzed even at a concentration of 12.5 ag/mL. Multiple pathogen detection was also successfully conducted in a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) as well as a serum medium with background of other pathogens. Thus, our analytical platform based on the biobarcode assay and on-chip CE analysis provides rapid, sensitive, multiplex, and accurate biological agent identification.