Highly efficient β-lactamase assay applying poly-dimethylacrylamide-based surface functionalization with β-lactam antibiotics and β-lactamase inhibitors

• Published in: Lab on a chip 2023-12, Vol.23 (24), p.512-513
• Main Authors: Rentschler, Simone, Borgolte, Max, Filbert, Alexander, Laufer, Stefan, Deigner, Hans-Peter
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amides; Analytical chemistry; Antibiotics; Assaying; Crosslinking; Diagnostic software; Inhibitors; Public health; Shelf life
• ISSN: 1473-0197; 1473-0189
• DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00682d

In recent decades, the rise of β-lactamases has substantially led to the emergence and wide spread of antibiotic resistance posing a serious global health threat. There is growing need for the development of rapid, cost-effective and user-friendly diagnostic assays for the accurate detection of β-lactamases to optimize patient outcomes and prevent the spread of multidrug-resistances. In this article, we present a poly-dimethylacrylamide (PDMA)-based surface functionalization to immobilize β-lactam antibiotics and β-lactamase inhibitors of different subclasses. Immobilization was induced via UV-crosslinking through C,H-insertion reactions. The functional coatings were successfully applied in a highly efficient assay for the determination of recombinant β-lactamases as well as β-lactamases isolated from clinically relevant bacterial strains. Thus, this method describes an innovative approach with several significant benefits for diagnostic applications: the creation of specific detection platforms tailored for β-lactamase activity, the development of high-throughput diagnostic assays and benefits regarding stability and shelf-life. Furthermore, this method is highly adaptable to other surfaces, antibiotics, and analytes, offering far-reaching implications for various biomedical, environmental, and antimicrobial applications. Immobilization of antibiotics to surfaces via PDMA by UV-crosslinking providing a highly efficient diagnostic β-lactamase assay. The method is transferable to different substrate materials and devices as well as antibiotics and chemical substances.