Raman Microscopic Analysis of Single Microbial Cells

Quantifying the metabolic activities of human-associated microbial communities across multiple ecological scales

Humans are home to complex microbial communities, whose aggregate genomes and their encoded metabolic activities are referred to as the human microbiome. Recently, researchers have begun to appreciate that different human body habitats and the activities of their resident microorganisms can be better understood in ecological terms, as a range of spatial scales encompassing single cells, guilds of microorganisms responsive to a similar substrate, microbial communities, body habitats, and host populations. However, the bulk of the work to date has focused on studies of culturable microorganisms in isolation or on DNA sequencing-based surveys of microbial diversity in small-to-moderate-sized cohorts of individuals. Here, we discuss recent work that highlights the potential for assessing the human microbiome at a range of spatial scales, and for developing novel techniques that bridge multiple levels: for example, through the combination of single-cell methods and metagenomic sequencing. These studies promise to not only provide a much-needed epidemiological and ecological context for mechanistic studies of culturable and genetically tractable microorganisms, but may also lead to the discovery of fundamental rules that govern the assembly and function of host-associated microbial communities.

Sensitive and specific discrimination of pathogenic and nonpathogenic Escherichia coli using Raman spectroscopy-a comparison of two multivariate analysis techniques

The determination of bacterial identity at the strain level is still a complex and time-consuming endeavor. In this study, visible wavelength spontaneous Raman spectroscopy has been used for the discrimination of four closely related Escherichia coli strains: pathogenic enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7 and non-pathogenic E. coli C, E. coli Hfr K-12, and E. coli HF4714. Raman spectra from 600 to 2000 cm(-1) were analyzed with two multivariate chemometric techniques, principal component-discriminant function analysis and partial least squares-discriminant analysis, to determine optimal parameters for the discrimination of pathogenic E. coli from the non-pathogenic strains. Spectral preprocessing techniques such as smoothing with windows of various sizes and differentiation were investigated. The sensitivity and specificity of both techniques was in excess of 95%, determined by external testing of the chemometric models. This study suggests that spontaneous Raman spectroscopy with visible wavelength excitation is potentially useful for the rapid identification and classification of clinically-relevant bacteria at the strain level.

Micro-organism extraction from biological samples using DEP forces enhanced by osmotic shock

On the road towards efficient diagnostics of infectious diseases, sample preparation is considered as the key step and remains a real technical challenge. Finding new methods for extraction of micro-organisms from a complex biological sample remains a major challenge prior to pathogen detection and analysis. This paper reports a new technique for capturing and isolating micro-organisms from a complex sample. To achieve the segregation of pathogens and blood cells, dielectrophoretic forces applied to bioparticles previously subjected to an osmotic shock are successfully implemented within a dedicated microfluidic device. Our device involves an electrode array of interdigitated electrodes, coated with an insulating layer, to minimize electrochemical reactions with the electrolyte and to enable long-time use. The electric field intensity inside the device is optimized, considering the insulating layer, for a given frequency bandwidth, enabling the separation of bioparticles by dielectrophoretic forces. Our predictions are based on analytical models, consistent with numerical simulations (using COMSOL Multiphysics) and correlated to experimental results. The method and device have been shown to extract different types of micro-organisms spiked in a blood cell sample. We strongly believe that this new separation approach may open the way towards a simple device for pathogen extraction from blood and more generally complex samples, with potential advantages of genericness and simplicity.

Advances in the in-field detection of microorganisms in ice

The historic view of ice-bound ecosystems has been one of a predominantly lifeless environment, where microorganisms certainly exist but are assumed to be either completely inactive or in a state of long-term dormancy. However, this standpoint has been progressively overturned in the past 20years as studies have started to reveal the importance of microbial life in the functioning of these environments. Our present knowledge of the distribution, taxonomy, and metabolic activity of such microbial life has been derived primarily from laboratory-based analyses of collected field samples. To date, only a restricted range of life detection and characterization techniques have been applied in the field. Specific examples include direct observation and DNA-based techniques (microscopy, specific stains, and community profiling based on PCR amplification), the detection of biomarkers (such as adenosine triphosphate), and measurements of metabolism [through the uptake and incorporation of radiolabeled isotopes or chemical alteration of fluorescent substrates (umbelliferones are also useful here)]. On-going improvements in technology mean that smaller and more robust life detection and characterization systems are continually being designed, manufactured, and adapted for in-field use. Adapting technology designed for other applications is the main source of new methodology, and the range of techniques is currently increasing rapidly. Here we review the current use of technology and techniques to detect and characterize microbial life within icy environments and specifically its deployment to in-field situations. We discuss the necessary considerations, limitations, and adaptations, review emerging technologies, and highlight the future potential. Successful application of these new techniques to in-field studies will certainly generate new insights into the way ice bound ecosystems function.

Comprehensive detection and discrimination of Campylobacter species by use of confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy and multilocus sequence typing

A novel strategy for the rapid detection and identification of traditional and emerging Campylobacter strains based upon Raman spectroscopy (532 nm) is presented here. A total of 200 reference strains and clinical isolates of 11 different Campylobacter species recovered from infected animals and humans from China and North America were used to establish a global Raman spectroscopy-based dendrogram model for Campylobacter identification to the species level and cross validated for its feasibility to predict Campylobacter-associated food-borne outbreaks. Bayesian probability coupled with Monte Carlo estimation was employed to validate the established Raman classification model on the basis of the selected principal components, mainly protein secondary structures, on the Campylobacter cell membrane. This Raman spectroscopy-based typing technique correlates well with multilocus sequence typing and has an average recognition rate of 97.21%. Discriminatory power for the Raman classification model had a Simpson index of diversity of 0.968. Intra- and interlaboratory reproducibility with different instrumentation yielded differentiation index values of 4.79 to 6.03 for wave numbers between 1,800 and 650 cm(-1) and demonstrated the feasibility of using this spectroscopic method at different laboratories. Our Raman spectroscopy-based partial least-squares regression model could precisely discriminate and quantify the actual concentration of a specific Campylobacter strain in a bacterial mixture (regression coefficient, >0.98; residual prediction deviation, >7.88). A standard protocol for sample preparation, spectral collection, model validation, and data analyses was established for the Raman spectroscopic technique. Raman spectroscopy may have advantages over traditional genotyping methods for bacterial epidemiology, such as detection speed and accuracy of identification to the species level.

Disentangling dynamic changes of multiple cellular components during the yeast cell cycle by in vivo multivariate Raman imaging

Cellular processes are intrinsically complex and dynamic, in which a myriad of cellular components including nucleic acids, proteins, membranes, and organelles are involved and undergo spatiotemporal changes. Label-free Raman imaging has proven powerful for studying such dynamic behaviors in vivo and at the molecular level. To construct Raman images, univariate data analysis has been commonly employed, but it cannot be free from uncertainties due to severely overlapped spectral information. Here, we demonstrate multivariate curve resolution analysis for time-lapse Raman imaging of a single dividing yeast cell. A four-dimensional (spectral variable, spatial positions in the two-dimensional image plane, and time sequence) Raman data "hypercube" is unfolded to a two-way array and then analyzed globally using multivariate curve resolution. The multivariate Raman imaging thus accomplished successfully disentangles dynamic changes of both concentrations and distributions of major cellular components (lipids, proteins, and polysaccharides) during the cell cycle of the yeast cell. The results show a drastic decrease in the amount of lipids by ~50% after cell division and uncover a protein-associated component that has not been detected with previous univariate approaches.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for molecular analysis of microbial cells

A rapid and inexpensive method to characterise chemical cell properties and identify the functional groups present in the cell wall is Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Infrared spectroscopy is a well-established technique to identify functional groups in organic molecules based on their vibration modes at different infrared wave numbers. The presence or absence of functional groups, their protonation states, or any changes due to new interactions can be monitored by analysing the position and intensity of the different infrared absorption bands. Additionally, infrared spectroscopy is non-destructive and can be used to monitor the chemistry of living cells. Despite the complexity of the spectra, the elucidation of functional groups on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria has been already well documented in the literature. Recent advances in detector sensitivity have allowed the use of micro-FTIR spectroscopy as an important analytical tool to analyse biofilm samples without the need of previous treatment. Using FTIR spectroscopy, the infrared bands corresponding to proteins, lipids, polysaccharides, polyphosphate groups, and other carbohydrate functional groups on the bacterial cells can now be identified and compared along different conditions. Despite some differences in FTIR spectra among bacterial strains, experimental conditions, or changes in microbiological parameters, the IR absorption bands between approximately 4,000 and 400 cm(-1) are mainly due to fundamental vibrational modes and can often be assigned to the same particular functional groups. In this chapter, an overview covering the different sample preparation protocols for infrared analysis of bacterial cells is given, alongside the basic principles of the technique, the procedures for calculating vibrational frequencies based on simple harmonic motion, and the advantages and disadvantages of FTIR spectroscopy for the analysis of microorganisms.

Rapid resonance Raman microspectroscopy to probe carbon dioxide fixation by single cells in microbial communities

Photosynthetic microorganisms play crucial roles in aquatic ecosystems and are the major primary producers in global marine ecosystems. The discovery of new bacteria and microalgae that play key roles in CO(2) fixation is hampered by the lack of methods to identify hitherto-unculturable microorganisms. To overcome this problem we studied single microbial cells using stable-isotope probing (SIP) together with resonance Raman (RR) microspectroscopy of carotenoids, the light-absorbing pigments present in most photosynthetic microorganisms. We show that fixation of (13)CO(2) into carotenoids produces a red shift in single-cell RR (SCRR) spectra and that this SCRR-SIP technique is sufficiently sensitive to detect as little as 10% of (13)C incorporation. Mass spectrometry (MS) analysis of labelled cellular proteins verifies that the red shift in carotenoid SCRR spectra acts as a reporter of the (13)C content of single cells. Millisecond Raman imaging of cells in mixed cultures and natural seawater samples was used to identify cells actively fixing CO(2), demonstrating that the SCRR-SIP is a noninvasive method for the rapid and quantitative detection of CO(2) fixation at the single cell level in a microbial community. The SCRR-SIP technique may provide a direct method for screening environmental samples, and could help to reveal the ecophysiology of hitherto-unculturable microorganisms, linking microbial species to their ecological function in the natural environment.

Tools for the tract: understanding the functionality of the gastrointestinal tract

The human gastrointestinal tract comprises a series of complex and dynamic organs ranging from the stomach to the distal colon, which harbor immense microbial assemblages that are known to be vital for human health. Until recently, most of the details concerning our gut microbiota remained obscure. Over the past several years, however, a number of crucial technological and conceptual innovations have been introduced to shed more light on the composition and functionality of human gut microbiota. Recently developed high throughput approaches, including next-generation sequencing technologies and phylogenetic microarrays targeting ribosomal RNA gene sequences, allow for comprehensive analysis of the diversity and dynamics of the gut microbiota composition. Nevertheless, most of the microbes especially in the human large intestine still remain uncultured, and the in situ functions of distinct groups of the gut microbiota are therefore largely unknown, but pivotal to the understanding of their role in human physiology. Apart from functional and metagenomics approaches, stable isotope probing is a promising tool to link the metabolic activity and diversity of microbial communities, including yet uncultured microbes, in a complex environment. Advancements in current stable isotope probing approaches integrated with the application of high-throughput diagnostic microarray-based phylogenetic profiling and metabolic flux analysis should facilitate the understanding of human microbial ecology and will enable the development of innovative strategies to treat or prevent intestinal diseases of as yet unknown etiology.

Infrared and Raman spectroscopic studies of the antimicrobial effects of garlic concentrates and diallyl constituents on foodborne pathogens

The antimicrobial effects of garlic (Allium sativum) extract (25, 50, 75, 100, and 200 μL/ml) and diallyl sulfide (5, 10, and 20 μM) on Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 cultivated in tryptic soy broth at 4, 22, and 35 °C for up to 7 days were investigated. L. monocytogenes was more resistant to garlic extract and diallyl compounds treatment than E. coli O157:H7. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy indicated that diallyl constituents contributed more to the antimicrobial effect than phenolic compounds. This effect was verified by Raman spectroscopy and Raman mapping on single bacteria. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) showed cell membrane damage consistent with spectroscopic observation. The degree of bacterial cell injury could be quantified using chemometric methods.

Looking inside the box: using Raman microspectroscopy to deconstruct microbial biomass stoichiometry one cell at a time

Stoichiometry of microbial biomass is a key determinant of nutrient recycling in a wide variety of ecosystems. However, little is known about the underlying causes of variance in microbial biomass stoichiometry. This is primarily because of technological constraints limiting the analysis of macromolecular composition to large quantities of microbial biomass. Here, we use Raman microspectroscopy (MS), to analyze the macromolecular composition of single cells of two species of bacteria grown on minimal media over a wide range of resource stoichiometry. We show that macromolecular composition, determined from a subset of identified peaks within the Raman spectra, was consistent with macromolecular composition determined using traditional analytical methods. In addition, macromolecular composition determined by Raman MS correlated with total biomass stoichiometry, indicating that analysis with Raman MS included a large proportion of a cell's total macromolecular composition. Growth phase (logarithmic or stationary), resource stoichiometry and species identity each influenced each organism's macromolecular composition and thus biomass stoichiometry. Interestingly, the least variable peaks in the Raman spectra were those responsible for differentiation between species, suggesting a phylogenetically specific cellular architecture. As Raman MS has been previously shown to be applicable to cells sampled directly from complex environments, our results suggest Raman MS is an extremely useful application for evaluating the biomass stoichiometry of environmental microorganisms. This includes the ability to partition microbial biomass into its constituent macromolecules and increase our understanding of how microorganisms in the environment respond to resource heterogeneity.

Raman spectroscopy of xylitol uptake and metabolism in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria

Visible-wavelength Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the uptake and metabolism of the five-carbon sugar alcohol xylitol by Gram-positive viridans group streptococcus and the two extensively used strains of Gram-negative Escherichia coli, E. coli C and E. coli K-12. E. coli C, but not E. coli K-12, contains a complete xylitol operon, and the viridans group streptococcus contains an incomplete xylitol operon used to metabolize the xylitol. Raman spectra from xylitol-exposed viridans group streptococcus exhibited significant changes that persisted even in progeny grown from the xylitol-exposed mother cells in a xylitol-free medium for 24 h. This behavior was not observed in the E. coli K-12. In both viridans group streptococcus and the E. coli C derivative HF4714, the metabolic intermediates are stably formed to create an anomaly in bacterial normal survival. The uptake of xylitol by Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens occurs even in the presence of other high-calorie sugars, and its stable integration within the bacterial cell wall may discontinue bacterial multiplication. This could be a contributing factor for the known efficacy of xylitol when taken as a prophylactic measure to prevent or reduce occurrences of persistent infection. Specifically, these bacteria are causative agents for several important diseases of children such as pneumonia, otitis media, meningitis, and dental caries. If properly explored, such an inexpensive and harmless sugar-alcohol, alone or used in conjunction with fluoride, would pave the way to an alternative preventive therapy for these childhood diseases when the causative pathogens have become resistant to modern medicines such as antibiotics and vaccine immunotherapy.

Multiple-trap laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy for simultaneous monitoring of the biological dynamics of multiple individual cells

We report the development of a multiple-trap laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy (LTRS) array for simultaneously acquiring Raman spectra of individual cells in physiological environments. This LTRS-array technique was also combined with phase contrast and fluorescence microscopy, allowing measurement of Raman spectra, refractility, and fluorescence images of individual cells with a temporal resolution of ~5 s. As a demonstration, we used this technique to monitor multiple Bacillus cereus spores germinating in a nutrient medium for up to 90min and observed the kinetics of dipicolinic acid release and uptake of nucleic acid-binding stain molecules during spore germination.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering of bacterial cell culture growth media

The application of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to characterizing bacteria is an active area of investigation. Micro- and nano-structured SERS substrates have enabled detection of pathogens present in biofluids. Several publications have focused on determining the spectral bands characteristic of bacteria from different species and cell lines. In this report, the spectra of fifteen commonly used bacterial growth media are presented. In many instances, these spectra are similar to published spectra purportedly characteristic of specific bacterial species. The findings presented herein suggest that bacterial fingerprinting by SERS requires further examination.

Raman microspectroscopy reveals long-term extracellular activity of Chlamydiae

The phylum Chlamydiae consists exclusively of obligate intracellular bacteria. Some of them are formidable pathogens of humans, while others occur as symbionts of amoebae. These genetically intractable bacteria possess a developmental cycle consisting of replicative reticulate bodies and infectious elementary bodies, which are believed to be physiologically inactive. Confocal Raman microspectroscopy was applied to differentiate between reticulate bodies and elementary bodies of Protochlamydia amoebophila and to demonstrate in situ the labelling of this amoeba symbiont after addition of isotope-labelled phenylalanine. Unexpectedly, uptake of this amino acid was also observed for both developmental stages for up to 3 weeks, if incubated extracellularly with labelled phenylalanine, and P. amoebophila remained infective during this period. Furthermore, P. amoebophila energizes its membrane and performs protein synthesis outside of its host. Importantly, amino acid uptake and protein synthesis after extended extracellular incubation could also be demonstrated for the human pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis, which synthesizes stress-related proteins under these conditions as shown by 2-D gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. These findings change our perception of chlamydial biology and reveal that host-free analyses possess a previously not recognized potential for direct experimental access to these elusive microorganisms.

Rapid and sensitive detection of rotavirus molecular signatures using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Human enteric virus infections range from gastroenteritis to life threatening diseases such as myocarditis and aseptic meningitis. Rotavirus is one of the most common enteric agents and mortality associated with infection can be very significant in developing countries. Most enteric viruses produce diseases that are not distinct from other pathogens, and current diagnostics is limited in breadth and sensitivity required to advance virus detection schemes for disease intervention strategies. A spectroscopic assay based on surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been developed for rapid and sensitive detection of rotavirus. The SERS method relies on the fabrication of silver nanorod array substrates that are extremely SERS-active allowing for direct structural characterization of viruses. SERS spectra for eight rotavirus strains were analyzed to qualitatively identify rotaviruses and to classify each according to G and P genotype and strain with >96% accuracy, and a quantitative model based on partial least squares regression analysis was evaluated. This novel SERS-based virus detection method shows that SERS can be used to identify spectral fingerprints of human rotaviruses, and suggests that this detection method can be used for pathogen detection central to human health care.

Biofilm formation in environmental bacteria is influenced by different macromolecules depending on genus and species

The formation of biofilms by diverse bacteria isolated from contaminated soil and groundwater on model substrata with different surface properties was assessed in a multifactorial screen. Diverse attachment phenotypes were observed as measured by crystal violet dye retention and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Bulk measurements of cell hydrophobicity had little predictive ability in determining whether biofilms would develop on hydrophobic or hydrophilic substrata. Therefore selected pairs of bacteria from the genera Rhodococcus, Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas that exhibited different attachment phenotypes were examined in more detail using CLSM and the lipophilic dye, Nile Red. The association of Rhodococcus sp. cell membranes with lipids was shown to influence the attachment properties of these cells, but this approach was not informative for Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas sp. Confocal Raman Microspectroscopy of Rhodococcus biofilms confirmed the importance of lipids in their formation and indicated that in Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas biofilms, nucleic acids and proteins, respectively, were important in identifying the differences in attachment phenotypes of the selected strains. Treatment of biofilms with DNase I confirmed a determining role for nucleic acids as predicted for Pseudomonas. This work demonstrates that the attachment phenotypes of microbes from environmental samples to different substrata varies markedly, a diverse range of macromolecules may be involved and that these differ significantly between genera. A combination of CLSM and Raman spectroscopy distinguished between phenotypes and could be used to identify the key macromolecules involved in cell attachment to surfaces for the specific cases studied.

Shining light on the microbial world the application of Raman microspectroscopy

Raman microspectroscopy is a noninvasive, label-free, and single-cell technology for biochemical analysis of individual mammalian cells, organelles, bacteria, viruses, and nanoparticles. Chemical information derived from a Raman spectrum provides comprehensive and intrinsic information (e.g., nucleic acids, protein, carbohydrates, and lipids) of single cells without the need of any external labeling. A Raman spectrum functions as a molecular "fingerprint" of single cells, which enables the differentiation of cell types, physiological states, nutrient condition, and variable phenotypes. Raman microspectroscopy combined with stable isotope probing, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and optical tweezers offers a culture-independent approach to study the functions and physiology of unculturable microorganisms in the ecosystem. Here, we review the application of Raman microspectroscopy to microbiology research with particular emphasis on single bacterial cells.

Single-cell ecophysiology of microbes as revealed by Raman microspectroscopy or secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging

An astonishing diversity of microorganisms thrives on our planet and their activities are fundamental for the functioning of all ecosystems including the human body. Consequently, detailed insights into the functions performed by microorganisms in their natural environment are required to understand human biology and the biology of the world around us and to lay the foundations for targeted manipulation of microbial communities. Isotope-labeling techniques combined with molecular detection tools are frequently used by microbial ecologists to directly link structure and function of microbial communities and to monitor metabolic properties of uncultured microbes at the single-cell level. However, only the recent combination of such techniques with Raman microspectroscopy or secondary ion mass spectrometry enables functional studies of microbes on a single-cell level by using stable isotopes as labels. This review provides an overview of these new techniques and their applications in microbial ecology, which allow us to investigate the ecophysiology of uncultured microbes to an extent that was unimaginable just a few years ago.

Characterization of single heat-activated Bacillus spores using laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy

Heat activation of dormant bacterial spores is a short treatment at a sublethal temperature that potentiates and synchronizes spore germination. In this paper, laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy (LTRS) was used to study the heat activation of single spores of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis. We measured the Raman spectra of single spores without treatment, during heat activation at 65 degrees C (B. cereus) or 70 degrees C (B. subtilis), and following heat activation and cooling to 25 degrees C. Principle component analysis (PCA) was applied to discriminate among the three groups of spores based on their Raman spectra. The results indicated that: (1) there are large changes in the Raman bands of Ca-DPA and protein for both B. cereus and B. subtilis spores during heat activation, indicative of changes in spore core state and partial protein denaturation at the heat activation temperatures; (2) these spectral changes become smaller once the heated spores are cooled, consistent with heat activation being reversible; (3) minor spectral differences between untreated and heat-activated and cooled spores can be discriminated by PCA based on non-polarized and polarized Raman spectra; and (4) analysis based on polarized Raman spectra reveals that partial denaturation of protein during heat activation is mainly observed in the vertically polarized component.

Activation of nanoparticles by biosorption for E. coli detection in milk and apple juice

Two types of silver nanoparticles were activated by specific sorption of biomolecules for the detection of Escherichia coli. The capture of this bacterium was performed using polyclonal antibodies (anti-E. coli) biosorbed onto nanospheres or nanorice through a protein-A layer. The bacterial detection was achieved using surface enhancement Raman scattering in order to compare the performance of these two nanoparticles. The activated silver nanospheres showed a better performance mainly due to the dimension of these nanoparticles. The detection limit has been established using the automated Raman mapping system. The technique was capable of detecting 10(3) cells/mL in milk and apple juice without any pre-enrichment. With an overall assay time less than 1 h, the process could be easily adapted to detect other pathogens by selecting the pertinent antibody. Furthermore, PCR was used for the DNA verification to assess whether the selected bacterial strain was identical before and after detection.

Vibrational spectroscopy--a powerful tool for the rapid identification of microbial cells at the single-cell level

Rapid microbial detection and identification with a high grade of sensitivity and selectivity is a great and challenging issue in many fields, primarily in clinical diagnosis, pharmaceutical, or food processing technology. The tedious and time-consuming processes of current microbiological approaches call for faster ideally on-line identification techniques. The vibrational spectroscopic techniques IR absorption and Raman spectroscopy are noninvasive methods yielding molecular fingerprint information; thus, allowing for a fast and reliable analysis of complex biological systems such as bacterial or yeast cells. In this short review, we discuss recent vibrational spectroscopic advances in microbial identification of yeast and bacterial cells for bulk environment and single-cell analysis. IR absorption spectroscopy enables a bulk analysis whereas micro-Raman-spectroscopy with excitation in the near infrared or visible range has the potential for the analysis of single bacterial and yeast cells. The inherently weak Raman signal can be increased up to several orders of magnitude by applying Raman signal enhancement methods such as UV-resonance Raman spectroscopy with excitation in the deep UV region, surface enhanced Raman scattering, or tip-enhanced Raman scattering.

Antibacterial activities of zinc oxide nanoparticles against Escherichia coli O157:H7

AIMS

To investigate antibacterial activities of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NP) and their mode of action against an important foodborne pathogen, Escherichia coli O157:H7.

METHODS AND RESULTS

ZnO NP with sizes of 70 nm and concentrations of 0, 3, 6 and 12 mmol l(-1) and NP-free solutions were used in antimicrobial tests against E. coli O157:H7. ZnO NP showed increasing inhibitory effects on the growth of E. coli O157:H7 as the concentrations of ZnO NP increased. A complete inhibition of microbial growth was achieved at the concentration level of 12 mmol l(-1) or higher. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the changes of morphology and cellular compositions of bacterial cells treated with ZnO NP and study the mode of action of ZnO NP against E. coli O157:H7. The intensity of lipid and protein bands in the Raman spectra of bacterial cells increased after exposure to ZnO NP, while no significant changes in nucleic acid bands were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

ZnO NP were found to have antibacterial activity against E. coli O157:H7. The inhibitory effects increase as the concentration of ZnO NP increased. Results indicate that ZnO NP may distort and damage bacterial cell membrane, resulting in a leakage of intracellular contents and eventually the death of bacterial cells.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

These results suggest that ZnO NP could potentially be used as an effective antibacterial agent to protect agricultural and food safety.

Direct analysis of clinical relevant single bacterial cells from cerebrospinal fluid during bacterial meningitis by means of micro-Raman spectroscopy

Bacterial meningitis is a relevant public health concern. Despite the availability of modern treatment strategies it is still a life-threatening disease that causes significant morbidity and mortality. Therefore, an initial treatment approach plays an important role. For in-time identification of specific bacterial pathogens of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and emerged antimicrobial and adjunctive treatment, microbiological examination is of major importance. This contribution spotlights the potential of micro-Raman spectroscopy as a biomedical assay for direct analysis of bacteria in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with bacterial meningitis. The influence of miscellaneous artificial environments on several bacterial species present during bacterial meningitis was studied by means of Raman spectroscopy. The application of chemometric data interpretation via hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) allows for the differentiation of in vitro cultured bacterial cells and can also be achieved on a single cell level. Moreover as proof of principle the investigation of a CSF sample obtained from a patient with meningococcal meningitis showed that the cerebrospinal fluid matrix does not mask the Raman spectrum of a bacterial cell notably since via chemometric analysis with HCA an identification of N. meningitidis cells from patients with bacterial meningitis could be achieved.

Raman tweezers sorting of single microbial cells

We have selectively isolated microbial cells by identifying and then manipulating cells using a combination of Raman microspectroscopy and optical trapping. The criterion for cell discrimination is based on spectral peak shifts within the Raman spectrum of individual cells. A specific shift in the phenylalanine peak position from 1001 rel. cm(-1) to 965 rel. cm(-1) is utilized to indicate the uptake of (13) C within the cell that utilized (13) C-substrate. Cells were captured and manipulated using an infrared (1064 nm) laser while Raman spectra were acquired over shorter timescales (30 s) using a co-aligned 514.5 nm laser beam. Selected cells were manoeuvred to a clean part of a capillary tube and the tubes were cleaved to physically separate the cells. The technique was tested for cell viability and cross-contamination effects using 70 single yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisia). Following these tests, 58 single bacterial cells (Escherichia coli DH5α, and Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25::Km-RFP) that exhibited (13) C uptake were sorted from bacterial populations. Among those isolated cells, 11 out of 18 yeast cells and 7 out of 18 single SBW25::Km-RFP cells were recovered by incubation; 2 out of 7 sorted yeast cells and 3 out of 8 sorted bacterial cells (single SBW25::Km-RFP) were genome amplified correctly. We show that the Raman tweezers approach has the potential to open a new frontier to study unculturable microorganisms, which account for more than 99% microbes in natural environment.

Use of a fractal-like gold nanostructure in surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy for detection of selected food contaminants

The safety of imported seafood products because of the contamination of prohibited substances, including crystal violet (CV) and malachite green (MG), raised a great deal of concern in the United States. In this study, a fractal-like gold nanostructure was developed through a self-assembly process and the feasibility of using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) coupled with this nanostructure for detection of CV, MG, and their mixture (1:1) was explored. SERS was capable of characterizing and differentiating CV, MG, and their mixture on fractal-like gold nanostructures quickly and accurately. The enhancement factor of the gold nanostructures could reach an impressive level of approximately 4 x 10(7), and the lowest detectable concentration for the dye molecules was at approximately 0.2 ppb level. These results indicate that SERS coupled with fractal-like gold nanostructures holds a great potential as a rapid and ultra-sensitive method for detecting trace amounts of prohibited substances in contaminated food samples.

Resolving genetic functions within microbial populations: in situ analyses using rRNA and mRNA stable isotope probing coupled with single-cell raman-fluorescence in situ hybridization

Prokaryotes represent one-half of the living biomass on Earth, with the vast majority remaining elusive to culture and study within the laboratory. As a result, we lack a basic understanding of the functions that many species perform in the natural world. To address this issue, we developed complementary population and single-cell stable isotope ((13)C)-linked analyses to determine microbial identity and function in situ. We demonstrated that the use of rRNA/mRNA stable isotope probing (SIP) recovered the key phylogenetic and functional RNAs. This was followed by single-cell physiological analyses of these populations to determine and quantify in situ functions within an aerobic naphthalene-degrading groundwater microbial community. Using these culture-independent approaches, we identified three prokaryote species capable of naphthalene biodegradation within the groundwater system: two taxa were isolated in the laboratory (Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas putida), whereas the third eluded culture (an Acidovorax sp.). Using parallel population and single-cell stable isotope technologies, we were able to identify an unculturable Acidovorax sp. which played the key role in naphthalene biodegradation in situ, rather than the culturable naphthalene-biodegrading Pseudomonas sp. isolated from the same groundwater. The Pseudomonas isolates actively degraded naphthalene only at naphthalene concentrations higher than 30 muM. This study demonstrated that unculturable microorganisms could play important roles in biodegradation in the ecosystem. It also showed that the combined RNA SIP-Raman-fluorescence in situ hybridization approach may be a significant tool in resolving ecology, functionality, and niche specialization within the unculturable fraction of organisms residing in the natural environment.

Barcoding bacterial cells: A SERS based methodology for pathogen identification

A principal component analysis (PCA) based on the sign of the second derivative of the surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) spectrum obtained on in-situ grown Au cluster covered SiO(2) substrates results in improved reproducibility and enhanced specificity for bacterial diagnostics. The barcode generated clustering results are systematically compared to those obtained from corresponding spectral intensities, first derivatives and second derivatives for the SERS spectra of closely related cereus group Bacillus strains. PCA plots and corresponding hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) dendrograms illustrate the improved bacterial identification resulting from the barcode spectral data reduction. Supervised DFA plots result in slightly improved group separation but show more susceptibility to false positive classifications than the corresponding PCA contours. In addition, this PCA treatment is used to highlight the enhanced bacterial species specificity observed for SERS as compared to normal bulk (non-SERS) Raman spectra. The identification algorithm described here is critical for the development of SERS microscopy as a rapid, reagentless, portable diagnostic of bacterial pathogens.

Dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging of microbial populations utilizing C-labelled substrates in pure culture and in soil

We demonstrate that dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)-based ion microscopy can provide a means of measuring (13)C assimilation into individual bacterial cells grown on (13)C-labelled organic compounds in the laboratory and in field soil. We grew pure cultures of Pseudomonas putida NCIB 9816-4 in minimal media with known mixtures of (12)C- and (13)C-glucose and analysed individual cells via SIMS imaging. Individual cells yielded signals of masses 12, 13, 24, 25, 26 and 27 as negative secondary ions indicating the presence of (12)C(-), (13)C(-), (24)((12)C(2))(-), (25)((12)C(13)C)(-), (26)((12)C(14)N)(-) and (27)((13)C(14)N)(-) ions respectively. We verified that ratios of signals taken from the same cells only changed minimally during a approximately 4.5 min period of primary O(2)(+) beam sputtering by the dynamic SIMS instrument in microscope detection mode. There was a clear relationship between mass 27 and mass 26 signals in Pseudomonas putida cells grown in media containing varying proportions of (12)C- to (13)C-glucose: a standard curve was generated to predict (13)C-enrichment in unknown samples. We then used two strains of Pseudomonas putida able to grow on either all or only a part of a mixture of (13)C-labelled and unlabelled carbon sources to verify that differential (13)C signals measured by SIMS were due to (13)C assimilation into cell biomass. Finally, we made three key observations after applying SIMS ion microscopy to soil samples from a field experiment receiving (12)C- or (13)C-phenol: (i) cells enriched in (13)C were heterogeneously distributed among soil populations; (ii) (13)C-labelled cells were detected in soil that was dosed a single time with (13)C-phenol; and (iii) in soil that received 12 doses of (13)C-phenol, 27% of the cells in the total community were more than 90% (13)C-labelled.

Bacillus spore classification via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and principal component analysis

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) can provide rapid fingerprinting of biomaterial in a nondestructive manner. The adsorption of colloidal silver to biological material suppresses native biofluorescence while providing electromagnetic surface enhancement of the normal Raman signal. This work validates the applicability of qualitative SER spectroscopy for analysis of bacterial species by utilizing principal component analysis (PCA) to show discrimination of biological threat simulants, based upon multivariate statistical confidence limits bounding known data clusters. Gram-positive Bacillus spores (Bacillus atrophaeus, Bacillus anthracis, and Bacillus thuringiensis) are investigated along with the Gram-negative bacterium Pantoea agglomerans.

Raman spectroscopic measurement of relative concentrations in mixtures of oral bacteria

Near-infrared Raman spectroscopy has been used for species identification of pure microbial specimens for more than a decade. More recently, this optical method has been extended to the analysis of specimens containing multiple species. In this report, we demonstrate rapid, reagent-free quantitative analysis of a simplified model of oral plaque containing three oral bacteria species, S. mutans, S. sanguis, and S. gordonii, using near-infrared Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectra were acquired from bacterial mixtures in 200 seconds. A prediction model was calibrated by the partial least squares method and validated by additional samples. On a scale from 0 to 1, relative fractions of each species could be predicted with a root mean square error of 0.07. These results suggest that near-infrared Raman spectroscopy is potentially useful in quantification of microbial mixtures in general and oral plaques in particular.

Raman-FISH: combining stable-isotope Raman spectroscopy and fluorescence in situ hybridization for the single cell analysis of identity and function

We have coupled fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with Raman microscopy for simultaneous cultivation-independent identification and determination of (13)C incorporation into microbial cells. Highly resolved Raman confocal spectra were generated for individual cells which were grown in minimal medium where the ratio of (13)C to (12)C content of the sole carbon source was incrementally varied. Cells which were (13)C-labelled through anabolic incorporation of the isotope exhibited key red-shifted spectral peaks, the calculated 'red shift ratio' (RSR) being highly correlated with the (13)C-content of the cells. Subsequently, Raman instrumentation and FISH protocols were optimized to allow combined epifluorescence and Raman imaging of Fluos, Cy3 and Cy5-labelled microbial populations at the single cell level. Cellular (13)C-content determinations exhibited good congruence between fresh cells and FISH hybridized cells indicating that spectral peaks, including phenylalanine resonance, which were used to determine (13)C-labelling, were preserved during fixation and hybridization. In order to demonstrate the suitability of this technology for structure-function analyses in complex microbial communities, Raman-FISH was deployed to show the importance of Pseudomonas populations during naphthalene degradation in groundwater microcosms. Raman-FISH extends and complements current technologies such as FISH-microautoradiography and stable isotope probing in that it can be applied at the resolution of single cells in complex communities, is quantitative if suitable calibrations are performed, can be used with stable isotopes and has analysis times of typically 1 min per cell.