SBIR Phase II: Ultra-High Sensitivity Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) Sensor for Real-Time Botulinum Detection

本小型企业创新研究（SBIR）二期项目拟开发基于新型超灵敏表面等离子体共振（SPR）技术的肉毒杆菌毒素检测仪原型。肉毒杆菌毒素将被检测的手段特定切割肽底物附着在传感器表面。与目前可用的方法相比，该系统将在很短的时间内以更低的成本提供结果。该技术的可行性已在第一阶段成功证明。第二阶段的研究将包括检测A型和B型肉毒杆菌的分析优化，开发从复杂溶液中提取毒素的方案，以及构建肉毒杆菌毒素多重检测仪器。开发的仪器将具有在单个芯片上对肉毒杆菌A和B进行超灵敏检测的能力（与小鼠LD50检测的灵敏度相当）。该项目的主要商业应用将是检测生物威胁剂。拟议的工作虽然最初旨在快速检测个人和食品中的肉毒杆菌中毒，但将扩展到其他生物威胁剂，如炭疽和真菌毒素。预计在药物发现和生物医学研究中，以及在医疗和化妆品应用中肉毒杆菌产品的效力测试中，还将有更多的应用。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes to develop a prototype botulinum toxin detector based on a novel ultra-sensitive Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) technology. The botulinum toxin will be detected by means of the specific cleavage of a peptide substrate attached to the sensor surface. The system will provide results in a fraction of the time and at a much lower cost compared to currently available methods. The feasibility of this technology was successfully demonstrated in Phase I. The research in Phase II will include assay optimization for detection of botulinum types A and B, development of a toxin extraction protocol from complex solutions, and construction of an instrument for multiplexed detection of botulinum toxins. The developed instrument will have the capability for ultrasensitive detection of Botulinum A and B (comparable to the sensitivity of the mouse LD50 assay) on a single chip.The principal commercial application of this project will be in the detection of biothreat agents. The proposed work, though initially aimed at rapid detection of botulism in individuals and in foods, will be extendable to other biothreat agents such as anthrax and mycotoxins. Additional applications are expected in drug discovery and biomedical research, and for potency testing of botulinum products in medical and cosmetic applications.