I’ve spoken about bacteriophages before.  These are viruses that attack bacteria and not animal cells.   A team has found a way to modify the genome of bacteriophages (again, viruses that attack bacteria), which makes potentially dangerous microbes in food and water glow so they are easier to detect.  (Recognize that bacteriophage, like viruses that attack human cells, inject their genome into the bacterial target.  The cell then produces viral particles until it lacks energy reserves and dies.}

Dr. Sam Nugen heads up the Nugen Research Group (operating within the Food Engineering Department at Cornell University).   The research team  studies Enterobacteria-phage-based-biosensors or nanobots.  The goal is to rapidly separate and identify pathogens.   These genetically modified phages are then used to test drinking water, liquid foods, process water, packaging equipment and to swab food processing units.

In a recent presentation at American Chemical Society meeting (August 2023), the Nugen Research Group described how they used bacteriophage to “light up” bacterial contaminants.  They genetically modified the bacteriophage (chosen because of their specificity and ability to work quickly) to find potentially dangerous microbes in water (even at low concentrations).

This study used E. coli as the target, and the phages were modified using CRISPR (a genome editing device, which was used to effect two alterations to the genome), adding a glowing compound (as found in deep sea shrimp).  Once the bacteriophage found and infected an E. coli cell, the cell lit up.

The team further modified the phage so that it would adhere to cellulose films or magnetic particles.  This allowed for bacterial collection from the sample quickly.  The team could detect FIVE microbes in 100 ml- and took ½ the time of conventional techniques (which also require higher levels of contaminants to demonstrate positive results).

This rapid identification process is much faster and able to identify much lower levels of E coli in our waters (compared to standard coliform tests).    Which means we can achieve a higher degree of safety.

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