Raman spectroscopy has demonstrated to be an effective tool in the detection and classification of pathogenic microorganisms. The technique is, however, limited by the inherently low cross-section of the Raman scattering process. Among the many enhanced Raman processes, surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique provides the highest sensitivity and can be easily adapted in the bio-sensing applications such as DNA hybridization and protein binding events. In this study, we report the targeted detection of the pathogenic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, with novel single domain antibody (sdAb) conjugated SERS nanoprobes. A sdAb specific to protein A of S. aureus cells was conjugated to silver nanoparticles (Ag-NP). Bacteria recognition was achieved through specific binding of the sdAb (conjugated to SERS nanoprobe) to protein A. Binding rendered the nanoparticle-labeled S. aureus cells SERS active. As a result, S. aureus cells could be detected rapidly and with excellent sensitivity by monitoring the SERS vibrational signatures. This work demonstrates that the SERS imaging technique offers excellent sensitivity with a detection limit of a single bacterium.

Date Published: 26 October 2007
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 6796, Photonics North 2007, 67960C (26 October 2007); doi: 10.1117/12.778078

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 6796:
Photonics North 2007
John Armitage, Editor(s)