Journal of Phytopathology (2012) 160, 106-111

Bettina Gramberg, Spiridon Kintzios, Uwe Schmidt, Inga Mewis and Christian Ulrichs (2012)
A basic approach towards the development of bioelectric bacterial biosensors for the detection of plant viruses
Journal of Phytopathology 160 (2), 106-111
Abstract: There is a growing need for virus sensors with improved sensitivity and dynamic range for disease diagnosis, pharmaceutical research, agriculture and homeland security. Membrane-engineered animal cells bearing antibodies against viral antigens have been previously used for biorecognition biosensors for the ultrarapid (3 min), sensitive (1 ng/ml) detection of plant viruses, such as the cucumber mosaic virus. We here report a new approach for the construction of cell-based sensors for virus detection, based on membrane (antibody)-engineered bacteria. The novel method was applied for the detection of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV) using sensors containing modified Escherichia coli XL-1Blue MRF' bacteria. E. coli membranes have been engineered with electro-inserted, virus-homologous antibodies. The detection principle was based on the measurement of changes in the bacterial membrane potential as a result of virus-antibody binding. After optimization of the membrane-engineering process, the virus detection limit for TMV and CLRV with the bacteria-based biosensor system was 1 pg/ml, representing a 1000-fold improvement over currently available methods. Although the novel biosensor is still in its proof-of-concept stage of development, its sensitivity and speed (assay time: 60-100 s) could make it a very promising tool for high throughput, field-based virus screening.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Christian Ulrichs, Inga Mewis

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
identification/taxonomy
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Tobacco mosaic virus
	Nepovirus avii