Integrated Immunoassay/PCR Test for Bioterrorism Agents

描述(由研究人员提供)：这项小型企业创新研究计划将免疫分析、细胞培养和实时聚合酶链式反应(PCR)三种不同技术的最佳功能结合到一个综合测试中，用于CDC A类药物的环境检测。第一阶段将包括开发生物传感器仪器、测试试剂盒、试剂和化验。第一阶段将使用一种名为炭疽孢子的生物恐怖主义试剂。建议的三步生物传感器将具有以下特性：快速、灵敏的免疫分析，在20分钟内检测病原体；细胞培养步骤，验证病原体的生存能力；实时聚合酶链式反应步骤，确认阳性免疫分析结果；定量样品中的生物或毒素分子的数量；紧凑和独立的一次性试剂盒，安全地限制环境样品和所有测试副产品；自动样品制备和数据采集；以及现场使用的便携式仪器格式。综合测试将同时比目前的方法更敏感和更具体，既可用于现场快速测试，也可用于实验室应用。通过选择性地从环境样品中捕获致病炭疽孢子，并从样品中的所有其他生物中纯化它们，该生物传感器可以为后续的PCR反应提供不含抑制剂的孢子来源的营养细胞裂解物。该测试解决了影响其他方法的假阴性(敏感性、活性、抑制剂)和假阳性(交叉反应、污染)的根本原因。由于它确认了生物体的生存能力，该测试将能够实时监测净化工作，例如最近在华盛顿特区邮政设施和政府办公室进行的工作。

DESCRIPTION (provided by investigator): This Small Business Innovation Research proposes to combine the best features of three different technologies: immunoassay, cell culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), into one integrated test for environmental detection of the CDC Category A agents. Phase I will comprise development of the biosensor instrument, the test cartridge, reagents, and the assays. One bioterrorism agent, anthrax spores, will be used in Phase I. The proposed Three-Step Biosensor will have the following properties: a rapid, sensitive immunoassay that detects pathogens within 20 minutes, a cell culture step that verifies the viability of the pathogens, a real-time PCR step that confirms positive immunoassay results, quantitation of the number of organisms or toxin molecules in the sample, a compact and self-contained disposable test cartridge that safely confines the environmental sample and all test by-products, automated sample preparation and data acquisition, and a portable instrument format for use in the field by first responders The integrated test will be simultaneously more sensitive and more specific than current methods, both for on-site rapid tests and laboratory applications. By selectively capturing pathogenic anthrax spores from environmental samples and purifying them from all other organisms in the sample, the biosensor can provide a spore-derived vegetative cell lysate free of inhibitors for subsequent PCR reactions. The test addresses the root causes of both false negatives (sensitivity, viability, inhibitors) and false positives (cross-reaction, contamination) that affect other methods. Because it confirms organism viability, the test will enable real time monitoring of decontamination efforts, such as that recently performed at Washington DC postal facilities and government offices.