scholarly journals Dramatically Enhancing the Sensitivity of Immunoassay for Ochratoxin A Detection by Cascade-Amplifying Enzyme Loading

Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 781
Author(s):  
Zhuolin Song ◽  
Lin Feng ◽  
Yuankui Leng ◽  
Mingzhu Huang ◽  
Hao Fang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Cross Reaction ◽  
Molar Ratio ◽  
Quantitative Detection ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Enzyme Loading ◽  
M13 Bacteriophage ◽  
Mimic Peptide

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is widely used in the routine screening of mycotoxin contamination in various agricultural and food products. Herein, a cascade-amplifying system was introduced to dramatically promote the sensitivity of an immunoassay for ochratoxin A (OTA) detection. Specifically, a biotinylated M13 bacteriophage was introduced as a biofunctional competing antigen, in which a seven-peptide OTA mimotope fused on the p3 protein of M13 was used to specifically recognize an anti-OTA monoclonal antibody, and the biotin molecules modified on capsid p8 proteins were used in loading numerous streptavidin-labeled polymeric horseradish peroxidases (HRPs). Owing to the abundance of biotinylated p8 proteins in M13 and the high molar ratio between HRP and streptavidin in streptavidin-polyHRP, the loading amount of HRP enzymes on the M13 bacteriophage were greatly boosted. Hence, the proposed method exhibited high sensitivity, with a limit of detection of 2.0 pg/mL for OTA detection, which was 250-fold lower than that of conventional ELISA. In addition, the proposed method showed a slight cross-reaction of 2.3% to OTB, a negligible cross-reaction for other common mycotoxins, and an acceptable accuracy for OTA quantitative detection in real corn samples. The practicability of the method was further confirmed with a traditional HRP-based ELISA method. In conclusion, the biotinylated bacteriophage and polyHRP structure showed potential as a cascade-amplifying enzyme loading system for ultra-trace OTA detemination, and its application can be extended to the detection of other analytes by altering specific mimic peptide sequences.

scholarly journals Eco-Friendly Fluorescent ELISA Based on Bifunctional Phage for Ultrasensitive Detection of Ochratoxin A in Corn

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2429
Author(s):  
Weipeng Tong ◽  
Hao Fang ◽  
Hanpeng Xiong ◽  
Daixian Wei ◽  
Yuankui Leng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
High Reliability ◽  
Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Enhanced Sensitivity ◽  
Great Specificity ◽  
Screening Platform ◽  
Mimic Peptide ◽  
Low Sensitivity

Conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is commonly used for Ochratoxin A (OTA) screening, but it is limited by low sensitivity and harmful competing antigens of enzyme-OTA conjugates. Herein, a bifunctional M13 bacteriophage with OTA mimotopes fused on the p3 protein and biotin modified on major p8 proteins was introduced as an eco-friendly competing antigen and enzyme container for enhanced sensitivity. Mercaptopropionic acid-modified quantum dots (MPA-QDs), which are extremely sensitive to hydrogen peroxide, were chosen as fluorescent signal transducers that could manifest glucose oxidase-induced fluorescence quenching in the presence of glucose. On these bases, a highly sensitive and eco-friendly fluorescent immunoassay for OTA sensing was developed. Under optimized conditions, the proposed method demonstrates a good linear detection of OTA from 4.8 to 625 pg/mL and a limit of detection (LOD) of 5.39 pg/mL. The LOD is approximately 26-fold lower than that of a conventional horse radish peroxidase (HRP) based ELISA and six-fold lower than that of a GOx-OTA conjugate-based fluorescent ELISA. The proposed method also shows great specificity and accepted accuracy for analyzing OTA in real corn samples. The detection results are highly consistent with those obtained using the ultra-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection method, indicating the high reliability of the proposed method for OTA detection. In conclusion, the proposed method is an excellent OTA screening platform over a conventional ELISA and can be easily extended for sensing other analytes by altering specific mimic peptide sequences in phages.

scholarly journals Development of an Immunoassay for Detection of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin-Like J, A Non-Characterized Toxin

Toxins ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisaya Ono ◽  
Nobuaki Hachiya ◽  
Yasunori Suzuki ◽  
Ikunori Naito ◽  
Shouhei Hirose ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Expression System ◽  
Sandwich Elisa ◽  
Food Poisoning ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Detection Systems ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
Culture Supernatants

Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) are the cause of staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) outbreaks. Recently, many new types of SEs and SE-like toxins have been reported, but it has not been proved whether these new toxins cause food poisoning. To develop an immunoassay for detection of SE-like J (SElJ), a non-characterized toxin in SFP, a mutant SElJ with C-terminus deletion (SElJ∆C) was expressed and purified in an E. coli expression system. Anti-SElJ antibody was produced in rabbits immunized with the SElJ∆C. Western blotting and sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detection systems were established and showed that the antibody specifically recognizes SElJ without cross reaction to other SEs tested. The limit of detection for the sandwich ELISA was 0.078 ng/mL, showing high sensitivity. SElJ production in S. aureus was detected by using the sandwich ELISA and showed that selj-horboring isolates produced a large amount of SElJ in the culture supernatants, especially in that of the strain isolated from a food poisoning outbreak in Japan. These results demonstrate that the immunoassay for detection of SElJ is specific and sensitive and is useful for determining the native SElJ production in S. aureus isolated from food poisoning cases.

scholarly journals Aflatoxigenic and ochratoxigenic moulds and their toxins in tree nuts on Serbian market

2020 ◽  
pp. 9-18
Author(s):  
Irena Rakic ◽  
Gordana Dimic ◽  
Marija Skrinjar ◽  
Suncica Kocic-Tanackov
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Niger ◽  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Alternaria Alternata ◽  
Rhizopus Oryzae ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Average Concentration ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Tree Nuts

In this study, moulds and mycotoxins presence in different tree nuts were investigated. The results showed that all of the 25 samples were contaminated with moulds. Mean values of total mould count varied from 1-4.9 cfu per grain. The most frequent species in hazelnut samples were Rhizopus oryzae (32.2%) and Aspergillus niger (28.9%). In walnuts A. niger (75.6%), in cashews also A. niger (42.4%) while in pistachio samples Alternaria alternata (20.7%), and Cladosporium cladosporioides (20.7%) were the most dominant. Rhizopus oligosporus was the only identified species in all almond samples (100%). Using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), the presence of total aflatoxins and ochratoxin A was examinated. In all analyzed samples, levels of ochratoxin A were below the limit of detection. Total aflatoxins were detected only in walnut samples with average concentration of 7.1 ?g/kg.

scholarly journals Antibody Microarray Immunoassay for Simultaneous Quantification of Multiple Mycotoxins in Corn Samples

Toxins ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xian Zhang ◽  
Zuohuan Wang ◽  
Yun Fang ◽  
Renjie Sun ◽  
Tong Cao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Aflatoxin B1 ◽  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Simultaneous Detection ◽  
Fumonisin B1 ◽  
Quantitative Detection ◽  
Antibody Microarray ◽  
Test Kit ◽  
Microarray Immunoassay

We developed and tested a prototype of an antibody microarray immunoassay for simultaneous quantitative detection of four typical mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, and fumonisin B1) in corn samples. The test kit consisted of a nitrocellulose membrane layered with immobilized monoclonal antibodies against mycotoxins. During the assay, the mycotoxin-protein conjugates were biotinylated. The signal detection was enhanced by a combination of the biotin-streptavidin system and enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL). This improved the sensitivity of the assay. Under the optimized conditions, four calibration curves with goodness of fit (R2 > 0.98) were plotted. The results showed that the detection limits for aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, and fumonisin B1 were 0.21, 0.19, 0.09, and 0.24 ng/mL, with detection ranges of 0.47–55.69, 0.48–127.11, 0.22–31.36, and 0.56–92.57 ng/mL, respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) of this antibody microarray for aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, and fumonisin B1 in corn was 5.25, 4.75, 2.25, and 6 μg/kg, respectively. The recovery rates from the spiked samples were between 79.2% and 113.4%, with coefficient of variation <10%. The results of the analysis of commercial samples for mycotoxins using this new assay and the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) were comparable and in good agreement. This assay could also be modified for the simultaneous detection of other multiple mycotoxins, as well as low-weight analytes, hazardous to human health.

scholarly journals Change of Amino Acid Residues in Idiotypic Nanobodies Enhanced the Sensitivity of Competitive Enzyme Immunoassay for Mycotoxin Ochratoxin A in Cereals

Toxins ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 273
Author(s):  
Caixia Zhang ◽  
Weiqi Zhang ◽  
Xiaoqian Tang ◽  
Qi Zhang ◽  
Wen Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Affinity Constant ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
Assay Sensitivity ◽  
Coating Antigen ◽  
Relative Standard

Anti-idiotypic nanobodies, usually expressed by gene engineering protocol, has been shown as a nontoxic coating antigen for toxic compound immunoassays. We here focused on how to increase immunoassay sensitivity by changing the nanobody’s primary sequence. In the experiments, two anti-idiotype nanobodies against monoclonal antibody 1H2, which is specific to ochratoxin A, were obtained and named as nontoxic coating antigen 1 (NCA1) and nontoxic coating antigen 2 (NCA2). Three differences between the nanobodies were discovered. First, there are six amino acid residues (AAR) of changes in the complementarity determining region (CDR), which compose the antigen-binding site. One of them locates in CDR1 (I–L), two of them in CDR2 (G–D, E–K), and three of them in CDR3 (Y–H, Y–W). Second, the affinity constant of NCA1 was tested as 1.20 × 108 L mol−1, which is about 4 times lower than that of NCA2 (5.36 × 108 L mol−1). Third, the sensitivity (50% inhibition concentration) of NCA1 for OTA was shown as 0.052 ng mL−1, which was 3.5 times lower than that of nontoxic coating antigen 2 (0.015 ng mL−1). The results indicate that the AAR changes in CDR of the anti-idiotypic nanobodies, from nonpolar to polar, increasing the affinity constant may enhance the immunoassay sensitivity. In addition, by using the nontoxic coating antigen 2 to substitute the routine synthetic toxic antigen, we established an eco-friendly and green enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for rapid detection of ochratoxin A in cereals. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of optimized ELISA was 0.017 ng mL−1 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.003 ng mL−1. The optimized immunoassay showed that the average recoveries of spiked corn, rice, and wheat were between 80% and 114.8%, with the relative standard deviation (RSD) ranging from 3.1–12.3%. Therefore, we provided not only basic knowledge on how to improve the structure of anti-idiotype nanobody for increasing assay sensitivity, but also an available eco-friendly ELISA for ochratoxin A in cereals.

scholarly journals Validation of a novel FRET real-time PCR assay for simultaneous quantitative detection and discrimination of human Plasmodium parasites

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0252887
Author(s):  
Renate Schneider ◽  
Aline Lamien-Meda ◽  
Herbert Auer ◽  
Ursula Wiedermann-Schmidt ◽  
Peter L. Chiodini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Melting Curve ◽  
Resonance Energy ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Significant Rise ◽  
Quantitative Detection ◽  
Melting Curve Analysis ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms

Increasing numbers of travelers returning from endemic areas, migrants, and refugees have led to a significant rise in the number of imported malaria cases in non-endemic countries. Real- time PCR serves as an excellent diagnostic tool, especially in regions where experience in microscopy is limited. A novel fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based real-time PCR (FRET-qPCR) was developed and evaluated using 56 reference samples of the United Kingdom National External Quality Assessment Service (UK NEQAS) for molecular detection of malaria, including P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. knowlesi. Species identification is based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the genome where the MalLC640 probe binds, lowering the melting temperature in the melting curve analysis. The novel FRET-qPCR achieved 100% (n = 56) correct results, compared to 96.43% performing nested PCR. The high sensitivity, with a calculated limit of detection of 199.97 parasites/mL blood for P. falciparum, is a significant advantage, especially if low-level parasitemia has to be ruled out. Even mixed infections of P. falciparum with P. vivax or P. ovale, respectively, were detected. In contrast to many other real-time PCR protocols, this novel FRET-qPCR allows the quantitative and species-specific detection of Plasmodium spp. in one single run. Solely, P. knowlesi was detected but could not be differentiated from P. vivax. The turnaround time of this novel FRET-qPCR including DNA extraction is less than two hours, qualifying it for routine clinical applications, including treatment monitoring.

scholarly journals Use of Bispecific Antibodies in Molecular Velcro Assays Whose Specificity Approaches the Theoretical Limit of Immunodetection for Bordetella pertussis

2004 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 752-757 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. L. Tang ◽  
M. S. Peppler ◽  
R. T. Irvin ◽  
M. R. Suresh
Keyword(s):  
Bordetella Pertussis ◽  
Whooping Cough ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽  
Theoretical Limit ◽  
Benzhydroxamic Acid ◽  
New Generation

ABSTRACT A bispecific monoclonal antibody (bsMAb) that detects Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough, and horseradish peroxidase (HRPO) has been developed by use of the quadroma technology. A quadroma, P123, was produced by fusing two well-characterized hybridomas against the bacterium and the enzyme and was subcloned to obtain a stable bsMAb-secreting cell line. The quadroma was theoretically expected to produce up to 10 different molecular species of immunoglobulins, so secreted bispecific antibody was complexed with excess HRPO and the HRPO-bsMAb complex was purified in one step by benzhydroxamic acid-agarose affinity cochromatography. An ultrasensitive homosandwich molecular “velcro” enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of B. pertussis whole bacteria with HRPO-bsMAb was established in both microplate and nasopharyngeal swab formats. This assay demonstrates a high sensitivity that approaches the theoretical limit of detection of one bacterium. This new nanoprobe can be used to develop a new generation of assays that are simple, inexpensive alternatives to quantitative PCR and that can be used by clinical laboratories. This strategy of homosandwich assays with solid-phase monospecific antibodies and solution-phase bsMAb with specificity for the same repeating surface determinants can be applied to generate ultrasensitive immunodiagnostic assays for viruses and bacteria.

Development of an Indirect Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Based on the Multiepitope Peptide for the Synchronous Detection of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A and G Proteins in Milk

2015 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 362-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
MINGYAN LIANG ◽  
TINGTING ZHANG ◽  
XUELAN LIU ◽  
YANAN FAN ◽  
SHENGLIN XIA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Food Poisoning ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Cross Reactivity ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Synchronous Detection ◽  
Standard Curve ◽  
Stability And Accuracy

Staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP), one of the most common foodborne diseases, results from ingestion of staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) in foods. In our previous studies, we found that SEA and SEG were two predominant SE proteins produced by milk-acquired S. aureus isolates. Here, a tandemly arranged multiepitope peptide (named SEAGepis) was designed with six linear B-cell epitopes derived from SEA or SEG and was heterologously expressed. The SEAGepis-specific antibody was prepared by immunizing rabbit with rSEAGepis. Then, an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) based on rSEAGepis and the corresponding antibody was developed to simultaneously detect SEA and SEG. Under the optimized conditions, the ic-ELISA standard curve for rSEAGepis was constructed in the concentration range of 0.5 to 512 ng/ml, and the average coefficients of variation of intra-and interassay were 4.28 and 5.61% during six standard concentrations. The average half-maximal inhibitory concentration was 5.07 ng/ml, and the limit of detection at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 was 0.52 ng/ml. The anti-rSEAGepis antibody displayed over 90% cross-reactivity with SEA and SEG but less than 0.5% cross-reactivity with other enterotoxins. Artificially contaminated milk with different concentrations of rSEAGepis, SEA, and SEG was detected by the established ic-ELISA; the recoveries of rSEAGepis, SEA, and SEG were 91.1 to 157.5%, 90.3 to 134.5%, and 89.1 to 117.5%, respectively, with a coefficient of variation below 12%. These results demonstrated that the newly established ic-ELISA possessed high sensitivity, specificity, stability, and accuracy and could potentially be a useful analytical method for synchronous detection of SEA and SEG in milk.

scholarly journals A FRET-ICT Dual-Modulated Ratiometric Fluorescence Sensor for Monitoring and Bio-Imaging of Cellular Selenocysteine

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (21) ◽  
pp. 4999
Author(s):  
Zongcheng Wang ◽  
Chenhong Hao ◽  
Xiaofang Luo ◽  
Qiyao Wu ◽  
Chengliang Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Resonance Energy Transfer ◽  
Resonance Energy ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Fluorescence Sensor ◽  
Quantitative Detection ◽  
Fluorescence Signal ◽  
Ratiometric Fluorescence ◽  
Sensitivity And Selectivity

Since the fluctuation of cellular selenocysteine (Sec) concentration plays an all-important role in the development of numerous human disorders, the real-time fluorescence detection of Sec in living systems has attracted plenty of interest during the past decade. In order to obtain a faster and more sensitive small organic molecule fluorescence sensor for the Sec detection, a new ratiometric fluorescence sensor Q7 was designed based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) strategy with coumarin fluorophore as energy donor and 4-hydroxy naphthalimide fluorophore (with 2,4-dinitrobenzene sulfonate as fluorescence signal quencher and Sec-selective recognition site) as an energy acceptor. The sensor Q7 exhibited only a blue fluorescence signal, and displayed two well distinguished emission bands (blue and green) in the presence of Sec with ∆λ of 68 nm. Moreover, concentrations ranging of quantitative detection of Sec of Q7 was from 0 to 45 μM (limit of detection = 6.9 nM), with rapid ratiometric response, high sensitivity and selectivity capability. Impressively, the results of the living cell imaging test demonstrated Q7 has the potentiality of being an ideal sensor for real-time Sec detection in biosystems.

Sample Preincubation Strategy for Sensitive and Quantitative Detection of Clenbuterol in Swine Urine Using a Fluorescent Microsphere–Based Immunochromatographic Assay

2014 ◽  
Vol 77 (11) ◽  
pp. 1998-2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHENG L. DENG ◽  
SHAN SHAN ◽  
CHAO L. XU ◽  
DAO F. LIU ◽  
YONG H. XIONG ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Lateral Flow ◽  
Lateral Flow Assay ◽  
Rapid Screening ◽  
Immunochromatographic Assay ◽  
Quantitative Detection ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Fluorescent Microsphere ◽  
Swine Urine ◽  
Relative Standard

We describe an ultrasensitive and quantitative immunochromatographic assay to determine the amount of clenbuterol (CLB) in swine urine. In this study, fluorescein isothiocyanate polystyrene fluorescent microspheres were used as probes. A sample preincubation strategy was introduced to this immunochromatographic assay. Results showed that the strategy evidently improved the sensitivity and accuracy of lateral flow assay. The method was completed in 20 min, and a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 0.13 μg liter−1 was obtained. The limit of detection of the proposed method to determine CLB in swine urine was 0.01 μg liter−1, which was lower than the limit of detection of immunochromatographic assays without preincubation. Intra-and interday recoveries of spiked swine urine ranged from 85.0 to 107.5%. The relative standard deviation values of the preincubated test strip ranged from 2.7 to 12.5%. Analysis of the CLB in swine urine samples showed that the result obtained from the lateral flow assay is consistent with that obtained from a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Our results suggest that the developed fluorescent microsphere–based immunochromatographic assay may be useful as a rapid screening method to detect CLB quantitatively.

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