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Fast detection of Listeria monocytogenes through a nanohybrid quantum dot complex

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Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes is a recognized foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis in susceptible consumers. Currently, the detection systems for Listeria in food detect live and dead bacteria, being the viable microorganisms most relevant for their ability to cause sickness in the population at risk. For this reason, a new nanohybrid compound was developed for the optical detection of Listeria that was based on polyamidoamine dendrimers functionalized with an auxotrophic cofactor (lipoic acid), together with the coupling of fluorescent semiconductor crystals (quantum dots). The nanohybrid sensor has a detection limit for viable L. monocytogenes of 5.19 × 103 colony-forming units per milliliter under epifluorescence microscopy. It was specific when used among other pathogens commonly found in food.

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Acknowledgement

L.G. and L.S.S. thank FONDECYT (FONDECYT Initiation no. 11150390 and Regular no. 1140642). Additional financial support from PIEI (QUI-BIO) from Universidad de Talca is greatly acknowledged. 

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Asymmetric Synthesis, Institute of Chemistry and Natural Resources, University of Talca, P.O. Box 747, Talca, Chile

    Wendy Donoso & Leonardo S. Santos

  2. Department of Stomatology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Talca, P.O. Box 747, Talca, Chile

    Wendy Donoso

  3. Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca, Chile

    Ricardo I. Castro

  4. Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Immunohematology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Talca, P.O. Box 747, Talca, Chile

    Luis Guzmán

  5. Institute of Chemistry and Natural Resources, University of Talca, P.O. Box 747, Talca, Chile

    Zoraya López-Cabaña

  6. Instituto de Innovación Basada en Ciencias, University of Talca, P.O. Box 747, Talca, Chile

    Fabiane M. Nachtigall

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  1. Wendy Donoso
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  2. Ricardo I. Castro
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  3. Luis Guzmán
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Correspondence to Leonardo S. Santos.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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L.S.S. and W.D. conceived and designed the experiments; R.I.C., L.G., F.M.N., and Z.L.C. performed research and analyzed the data. All authors analyzed and interpreted data, drafted the paper, and read and approved the final manuscript.

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Donoso, W., Castro, R.I., Guzmán, L. et al. Fast detection of Listeria monocytogenes through a nanohybrid quantum dot complex. Anal Bioanal Chem 409, 5359–5371 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-017-0481-9

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