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Wang Y, Schill KM, Fry HC, Duncan TV. A Quantum Dot Nanobiosensor for Rapid Detection of Botulinum Neurotoxin Serotype E. ACS Sens 2020; 5:2118-2127. [PMID: 32527082 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.0c00738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are potent toxins produced by Clostridium bacteria that are responsible for the illness botulism and are listed as bioterrorism agents. BoNT serotype E (BoNT/E) is one of four BoNT serotypes that cause human botulism and is the second most frequent cause of foodborne botulism. Rapid detection and discrimination of BoNT serotypes implicated in human disease are critical for ensuring timely treatment of patients and identifying sources of toxins, but there have been few reported detection methods for BoNT/E and even fewer methods usable for BoNT serotyping. We report a nanobiosensor based on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots, QDs) and dark quencher-labeled peptide probes to detect biologically active BoNT/E in aqueous media. The peptide probes contain a specific cleavage site for active BoNT/E. QD photoluminescence, which changes intensity due to FRET when the peptide probe is cleaved, was used to indicate toxin presence and quantity. The detection of a BoNT/E light chain (LcE) and holotoxin was observed within 3 h. The limits of detection were 0.02 and 2 ng/mL for LcE and holotoxin, respectively. The nanobiosensor shows good specificity toward the target in tests with nontarget BoNT serotypes. The high sensitivity, simple operation, short detection time, and ability to be used in parallel with probes developed for other BoNT serotypes indicate that the nanobiosensor will be useful for rapid BoNT/E detection and serotype discrimination in food analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Wang
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Bedford Park, Illinois 60501, United States
| | - Kristin M. Schill
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Bedford Park, Illinois 60501, United States
| | - H. Christopher Fry
- Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, DuPage County, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Timothy V. Duncan
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Bedford Park, Illinois 60501, United States
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Yadav SK, Singh M, Sarkaraisamy P. Expression and purification of catalytic domain of botulinum neurotoxin serotype ‘F’: immunological characterization and its application in detection. FOOD BIOTECHNOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/08905436.2020.1740731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shiv Kumar Yadav
- BDTE Division, Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior, India
| | - Monika Singh
- BDTE Division, Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior, India
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von Berg L, Stern D, Weisemann J, Rummel A, Dorner MB, Dorner BG. Optimization of SNAP-25 and VAMP-2 Cleavage by Botulinum Neurotoxin Serotypes A-F Employing Taguchi Design-of-Experiments. Toxins (Basel) 2019; 11:toxins11100588. [PMID: 31614566 PMCID: PMC6832249 DOI: 10.3390/toxins11100588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The detection of catalytically active botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) can be achieved by monitoring the enzymatic cleavage of soluble NSF (N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive-factor) attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins by the toxins’ light chains (LC) in cleavage-based assays. Thus, for sensitive BoNT detection, optimal cleavage conditions for the clinically relevant A–F serotypes are required. Until now, a systematic evaluation of cleavage conditions for the different BoNT serotypes is still lacking. To address this issue, we optimized cleavage conditions for BoNT/A–F using the Taguchi design-of-experiments (DoE) method. To this aim, we analyzed the influence of buffer composition (pH, Zn2+, DTT (dithiothreitol), NaCl) as well as frequently used additives (BSA (bovine serum albumin), Tween 20, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)) on BoNT substrate cleavage. We identified major critical factors (DTT, Zn2+, TMAO) and were able to increase the catalytic efficiency of BoNT/B, C, E, and F when compared to previously described buffers. Moreover, we designed a single consensus buffer for the optimal cleavage of all tested serotypes. Our optimized buffers are instrumental to increase the sensitivity of cleavage-based assays for BoNT detection. Furthermore, the application of the Taguchi DoE approach shows how the method helps to rationally improve enzymatic assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura von Berg
- Biological Toxins, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Daniel Stern
- Biological Toxins, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jasmin Weisemann
- Institut für Toxikologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
| | - Andreas Rummel
- Institut für Toxikologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
| | - Martin Bernhard Dorner
- Biological Toxins, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Brigitte Gertrud Dorner
- Biological Toxins, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, Seestr. 10, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
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Ambrin G, Kumar R, Singh BR. Differential endopeptidase activity of different forms of type A botulinum neurotoxin: A unique relationship between the size of the substrate and activity of the enzyme. Toxicon 2018; 144:34-41. [PMID: 29309744 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2017.12.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/30/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs; serotypes A-G) are metalloproteases, which cleave and inactivate cellular proteins essential for neurotransmitter release. In bacterial cultures, BoNTs are secreted as a complex of the neurotoxin and a group of neurotoxin associated proteins (NAPs). Under physiological condition (pH 7.4), this complex is believed to be dissociated to separate the neurotoxin from NAPs. BoNT consists of a 50 kDa light (L) chain (LC or catalytic domain) and a 100 kDa heavy (H) chain (or HC) linked through a disulfide bond and other non-covalent interactions. The cell intoxication involves three major steps; binding, membrane translocation and inhibition of neurotransmitter release. The last step of intoxication, endopeptidase activity, is very unique and specific that can be used for detection of the complex and isolated forms of the toxin. A fluorescent tag-labeled synthetic peptide (SNAPtide) derived from a segment of SNAP-25, an intracellular substrate of BoNT/A, is used to detect and assay the endopeptidase activity of BoNT/A. The detection of the signal is based on the change in the fluorescence energy transfer after selective cleavage of the peptide by the BoNT/A. In this report, we demonstrate that SNAPtide as a commonly used substrate widely differ in reaction with BoNT/A complex, BoNT/A, and BoNT/A light chain. These findings have implications for assays used in detection, and in screening potential inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghuncha Ambrin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Massachusetts, North Dartmouth, MA, 02747, USA
| | - Raj Kumar
- Botulinum Research Center, Institute of Advanced Sciences, Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA
| | - Bal Ram Singh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Massachusetts, North Dartmouth, MA, 02747, USA; Botulinum Research Center, Institute of Advanced Sciences, Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA.
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A Novel Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor for the Rapid Detection of Botulinum Neurotoxins. BIOSENSORS-BASEL 2017; 7:bios7030032. [PMID: 28783115 PMCID: PMC5618038 DOI: 10.3390/bios7030032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are Category A agents on the NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) priority pathogen list owing to their extreme toxicity and the relative ease of production. These deadly toxins, in minute quantities (estimated human i.v. lethal dose LD50 of 1-2 ng/kg body weight), cause fatal flaccid paralysis by blocking neurotransmitter release. The current gold standard detection method, the mouse-bioassay, often takes days to confirm botulism. Furthermore, there are no effective antidotes known to reverse the symptoms of botulism, and as a result, patients with severe botulism often require meticulous care during the prolonged paralytic illness. To combat potential bio-terrorism incidents of botulinum neurotoxins, their rapid detection is paramount. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is a very sensitive technique to examine bio-molecular interactions. The label-free, real-time analysis, with high sensitivity and low sample consumption makes this technology particularly suitable for detection of the toxin. In this study, we demonstrated the feasibility in an assay with a newly designed SPR instrument for the rapid detection of botulinum neurotoxins. The LOD (limit of detection) of the Newton Photonics (NP) SPR based assay is 6.76 pg/mL for Botulinum Neurotoxin type A Light Chain (BoNT/A LC). We established that the detection sensitivity of the system is comparable to the traditional mouse LD50 bioassay in BoNT/A using this SPR technology.
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Weingart OG, Loessner MJ. Nerve cell-mimicking liposomes as biosensor for botulinum neurotoxin complete physiological activity. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2016; 313:16-23. [PMID: 27743862 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2016.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2016] [Revised: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT) are the most toxic substances known, and their neurotoxic properties and paralysing effects are exploited for medical treatment of a wide spectrum of disorders. To accurately quantify the potency of a pharmaceutical BoNT preparation, its physiological key activities (binding to membrane receptor, translocation, and proteolytic degradation of SNARE proteins) need to be determined. To date, this was only possible using animal models, or, to a limited extent, cell-based assays. We here report a novel in vitro system for BoNT/B analysis, based on nerve-cell mimicking liposomes presenting motoneuronal membrane receptors required for BoNT binding. Following triggered membrane translocation of the toxin's Light Chain, the endopeptidase activity can be quantitatively monitored employing a FRET-based reporter assay within the functionalized liposomes. We were able to detect BoNT/B physiological activity at picomolar concentrations in short time, opening the possibility for future replacement of animal experimentation in pharmaceutical BoNT testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver G Weingart
- Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Martin J Loessner
- Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
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Hypersensitive detection and quantitation of BoNT/A by IgY antibody against substrate linear-peptide. PLoS One 2013; 8:e58908. [PMID: 23555605 PMCID: PMC3605418 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2012] [Accepted: 02/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT/A), the most acutely poisonous substance to humans known, cleave its SNAP-25 substrate with high specificity. Based on the endopeptidase activity, different methods have been developed to detect BoNT/A, but most lack ideal reproducibility or sensitivity, or suffer from long-term or unwanted interferences. In this study, we developed a simple method to detect and quantitate trace amounts of botulinum neurotoxin A using the IgY antibody against a linear-peptide substrate. The effects of reaction buffer, time, and temperature were analyzed and optimized. When the optimized assay was used to detect BoNT/A, the limit of detection of the assay was 0.01 mouse LD50 (0.04 pg), and the limit of quantitation was 0.12 mouse LD50/ml (0.48 pg). The findings also showed favorable specificity of detecting BoNT/A. When used to detect BoNT/A in milk or human serum, the proposed assay exhibited good quantitative accuracy (88% < recovery < 111%; inter- and intra-assay CVs < 18%). This method of detection took less than 3 h to complete, indicating that it can be a valuable method of detecting BoNT/A in food or clinical diagnosis.
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