Spotting bacteria
Bionanotechnology for rapid monitoring of single bacterial cell.
(Left). SEM image of E. coli O157:H7 cell incubated with antibody-conjugated nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are conjugated with antibody against O157. Each nanoparticle, containing tens of thousands of dye molecules for an intense fluorescent signal, binds O-antigens on the bacterial surface. The nanoparticles on the bacterium surface are seen clearly.
(Right) Fluorescence image of single E. coli O157:H7 cell following incubation with antibody-conjugated nanoparticles. The fluorescence, generated by the nanoparticles on the bacterial surface, is strong, enabling rapid detection of single bacterial cells. (Courtesy of Professor Weihong Tan, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, US).