Document Type : Original Articles
Authors
1
Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2
Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
3
Department of Biosciences, Università degli studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
4
The Research Institute of Petroleum Industry, Tehran, Iran
5
Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
6
Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran Universityof Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
10.66224/ari.2026.372329.4068
Abstract
Introduction: Detecting pathogenic bacteria quickly and accurately is essential for food safety and clinical diagnostics. Biosensors offer a fast, cost-effective alternative to traditional microbial identification. This study describes a novel nanofiber-based biosensor designed to sensitively detect Escherichia coli (E. coli).
Materials and Methods: Electrospun nanofibers composed of polycaprolactone (PCL), gelatin (Gel), and polyaniline (PANi) were fabricated to create a biocompatible scaffold. Biotinylated bacteriophages, serving as highly specific bioreceptors for E. coli, were covalently immobilized onto the surface of the prepared nanofibers. This immobilization strategy employed avidin-biotin interactions mediated by EDC/ NHS crosslinking chemistry, which activated carboxyl groups on the nanofiber surface to enable stable and oriented bioconjugation. The capture efficiency and specificity of the functionalized platform were subsequently evaluated against target E. coli cells using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).
Results: Raman spectral analysis confirmed the presence of characteristic peaks corresponding to amide and amine (NH) functional groups on the nanofiber surface following phage immobilization, verifying successful chemical modification. Qualitative analysis using SEM and AFM provided direct visual evidence of bacterial attachment onto the bacteriophage-functionalized nanofiber mats, demonstrating the platform's capacity for effective microbial capture.
Conclusion: The integration of conductive PANi with a biocompatible PCL/Gel scaffold, combined with the specificity of phage functionalization, establishes an effective interface for bacterial detection. This innovation signifies a pivotal advancement in pathogen detection methodologies and biosensor technologies, offering a promising tool for applications requiring rapid and reliable identification of microbial contaminants.
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