Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
575850 | Journal of Hazardous Materials | 2015 | 7 Pages |
Abstract
Francisella tularensis is a human zoonotic pathogen and the causative agent of tularemia, a severe infectious disease. Given the extreme infectivity of F. tularensis and its potential to be used as a biological warfare agent, a fast and sensitive detection method is highly desirable. Herein, we construct a novel detection platform composed of two units: (1) Magnetic beads conjugated with multiple capturing antibodies against F. tularensis for its simple and rapid separation and (2) Genetically-engineered apoferritin protein constructs conjugated with multiple quantum dots and a detection antibody against F. tularensis for the amplification of signal. We demonstrate a 10-fold increase in the sensitivity relative to traditional lateral flow devices that utilize enzyme-based detection methods. We ultimately envision the use of our novel nanoprobe detection platform in future applications that require the highly-sensitive on-site detection of high-risk pathogens.
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Authors
Ji-eun Kim, Youngmin Seo, Yoon Jeong, Mintai P. Hwang, Jangsun Hwang, Jaebum Choo, Jong Wook Hong, Jun Ho Jeon, Gi-eun Rhie, Jonghoon Choi,