Rapid Bacterial Detection via an All-Electronic CMOS Biosensor

• Published in: PloS one 2016-09, Vol.11 (9), p.e0162438-e0162438
• Main Authors: Nikkhoo, Nasim, Cumby, Nichole, Gulak, P Glenn, Maxwell, Karen L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Antibiotics; Bacteria; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Bacteria - metabolism; Bacteriocins; Bacteriocins - metabolism; Biology and Life Sciences; Biosensing Techniques; Biosensors; CMOS; Complementary metal oxide semiconductors; Computer engineering; Detection equipment; E coli; Electrodes; Electronics; Engineering and Technology; Escherichia coli; Food; Gram-negative bacteria; Infectious diseases; Medical innovations; Medicine and Health Sciences; Metal oxide semiconductors; Metals - chemistry; Potassium; Potassium - metabolism; Research and Analysis Methods; Semiconductors; Sensors; Technology; Toxins
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162438

The timely and accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases is one of the greatest challenges currently facing modern medicine. The development of innovative techniques for the rapid and accurate identification of bacterial pathogens in point-of-care facilities using low-cost, portable instruments is essential. We have developed a novel all-electronic biosensor that is able to identify bacteria in less than ten minutes. This technology exploits bacteriocins, protein toxins naturally produced by bacteria, as the selective biological detection element. The bacteriocins are integrated with an array of potassium-selective sensors in Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor technology to provide an inexpensive bacterial biosensor. An electronic platform connects the CMOS sensor to a computer for processing and real-time visualization. We have used this technology to successfully identify both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria commonly found in human infections.