Applications of Phage-Based Biosensors in the Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases, Food Safety, and Environmental Monitoring

Abstract

Environmental pollution and food safety are becoming serious concerns to human health in developing countries. To combat such issues, researchers have developed different approaches for on-spot detection and screening of infectious disease, caused by pathogens and toxins in food and water samples. One such approach is the development of phage-and phage-component-based sensors that are highly specific, sensitive, rapid, efficient, cheap, and portable analyte screening platforms. Such sensors overcome the limitations of conventional screening approaches. This chapter highlights different food and environmental contaminations and represents the potential of phage-based biosensor for bacterial detection. It summarizes different applications of phage-based sensors in the fields of food safety and environmental monitoring and highlights current challenges and perspective. In general, this chapter brings together the technologies related to phage-based sensors and food and environmental safety, by compiling the efforts of engineers and scientists from multidisciplinary areas.

Bacteriophage-based bioassays: an expected paradigm shift in microbial diagnostics

“…Fluorescently labeled mycobacteriophages have been utilized to bind with clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis bacteria and drugs of interest, enabling the detection of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis based on fluorescence measurements obtained from flow cytometry and microscopy [ 47 ]. The reported sensitivity limit for the flow cytometric approach is 1 colony-forming unit (CFU) per ml, while the microscopic platform achieves a sensitivity limit of 20 CFU/ml [ 9 , 48 , 49 ]. These innovative approaches hold promise for enhancing the accuracy and speed of TB diagnosis, thereby contributing to improved patient outcomes and public health.…”

“…This potential holds promise in addressing persistent challenges associated with infections, whether they are foodborne, airborne, waterborne or clinical in nature. The inherent qualities of phages, such as their self-replicating ability and host-specific nature, position them as a valuable tool in combating these infectious threats [ 9 , 10 ]. Phage-based diagnostics offer a captivating aspect of achieving unparalleled levels of specificity and sensitivity while minimizing both cost and time requirements.…”

Detection of Quorum-Sensing Molecules for Pathogenic Molecules Using Cell-Based and Cell-Free Biosensors

“…However, these sensors are susceptible to common biological interferences. Additionally, biosensors were developed that utilize antibodies or bacteriophages to specifically detect bacteria [61][62][63]. The incorporation of antibodies and/or bacteriophages solves the interference problem, but it does not guarantee that the captured bacteria are pathogenic.…”

In Vivo Capsid Engineering of Bacteriophages for Oriented Surface Conjugation

“…16−18 Thus, phage-based technologies enable accurate, rapid, and practical detection tools with broad applications in food and water safety, 1,19,20 medical diagnostics, 21 and environmental monitoring. 22 Recent reviews 1,21,23−29 have surveyed phage-based bacterial detection methods, with some presenting limit of detection (LOD) values of <10 CFU/mL in <10 h. 1,19 Immobilization of the phages onto magnetic micro-or nanoparticles can permit preconcentration of the bacteria, further reducing LOD values. Immobilization of phages onto magnetic particles has been accomplished with methods that include amide bonds formed by carboxylic acid−amine coupling, 30−33 interaction of streptavidin with biotin, 34−36 electrostatic interactions, 37,38 and unnatural amino acids such as alkynes.…”

“…Bacterial contamination of food − and water , remains a global burden to human health with economic impacts including medical costs, lost productivity, and food waste from bacterial-derived spoilage and contamination. ,− Phages are obligate parasites that can only replicate within specific bacterial hosts. , For tailed phages, the evolution of highly specific interactions between tail fibers and targeted bacterial surface receptors has allowed phages to identify hosts while minimizing cross-reactivity in complex environments. − Thus, phage-based technologies enable accurate, rapid, and practical detection tools with broad applications in food and water safety, ,, medical diagnostics, and environmental monitoring …”