Point-of-Care Identification of Bacteria Using Protein-Encapsulated Gold Nanoclusters

Abstract

The rapid, simple, and reliable identification of the most prevalent pathogens is essential for clinical diagnostics, biology, and food safety. Herein, four protein-encapsulated gold nanoclusters (protein–AuNCs) are designed and prepared as a sensor array for rapid identification of bacteria. The discrimination of six kinds of bacteria, including two kinds of drug-resistant bacteria, is successfully realized by the as-fabricated sensor array. The strategy presented here shows the advantages of easy synthesis and convenient to use. Furthermore, 100% classification accuracy is achieved by the sensor array consisting of two protein–AuNCs probes, demonstrating the design with sufficient diagnostic capacity. Taken together, the developed sensor array holds great promise for facile diagnosis of bacterial infection in resource-limited settings.

Four protein-encapsulated gold nanoclusters with various binding affinities to bacteria are employed as sensor array to rapid identification of bacteria. Two kinds of the most prevalent pathogens and their drug-resistant strains are well discriminated. The protocol holds great promise for point-of-care bacterial infection diagnosis because of the simple probe synthesis and bacterial identification procedures.

http://ift.tt/2CThPbk