Detection and imaging of bacterial biofilms using fluorescent nanosensor

Abstract

Bacterial biofilms colonize chronic wounds and the surfaces of medical devices, thus making it essential to devise reliable methods for imaging and identification of biofilms. We have found that fluorescent glutathione-stabilized gold nanoclusters can specifically interact with the extracellular matrix of bacterial biofilms. Based on glutathione-stabilized gold nanoclusters properties, we propose a new fluorescent method for the measurement of biofilm biomass with a limit of detection 1.7 × 105 CFU/mL. The sensitivity of the method is 10-fold higher than the standard biofilm quantification with the crystal violet assay. There is a good linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity from the biofilms and the number of CFU from the biofilms in the range from 2.6 × 105 to 6.7 × 107 CFU/mL. The developed nanocluster-mediated method of biofilm staining was successfully applied for quantitative detection of biofilm formation on urinary catheter surface. The experimental evidence for the interaction of the nanoclusters with matrix polysaccharide was obtained.

Aknowledgement: This work was supported by the grant from the Russian Science Foundation: no. 23-24-00246

Speaker

Daniil S. Chumakov
Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Plants and Microorganisms – Subdivision of the Federal State Budgetary Research Institution Saratov Federal Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IBPPM RAS), Saratov, Russia
Russia

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