Fluorescence polarization for mycotoxin determination

Over the last few years several laboratories have reported fluorescence polarization (FP) immunoassays for mycotoxins. These have included assays for fumonisins, deoxynivalenol and acetylated derivatives, aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, and zearalenone and related metabolites. Sensitivity in the FP assays may change dramatically over time, depending upon the antibody/tracer combination used. An important aspect of these homogeneous assays is the time required to reach an equilibrium endpoint. Although it is counterintuitive, the sensitivity of FP assays can actually be improved with shorter incubation times. However, the need for sensitivity must often be balanced against the need for the analyst to reproducibly time the incubation. The technical acumen of the analyst would be relatively more important in assays where measurements are taken before the system reaches equilibrium. In many cases the desired assays are those which reach equilibrium (and therefore give a stable endpoint) quickly, which may occur at the expense of sensitivity. It is for this reason the FP immunoassays are frequently not as sensitive as traditional ELISAs. Nevertheless, for many of the major mycotoxins rapid FP immunoassays can be developed, provided the appropriate combinations of antibody and tracer are used. Presented at the EU-USA Bilateral Workshop on Toxigenic Fungi & Mycotoxins, New Orleans, USA, July 5–7, 2005 Financial support: United States Department of Agriculture     

磁纳米识别探针的构造及其在真菌毒素检测中的应用进展

真菌毒素是一种由真菌产生的具有毒性的次级代谢产物,易引发严重的食品安全问题,不断探索更为高效准确的新型检测方法具有重要意义。磁纳米识别探针具有高效易分离、结合容量大、识别效果好、功能性强等优势,为复杂基质中痕量真菌毒素检测研究带来新方向。本文对磁纳米识别探针构造,由内向外对构成探针的磁纳米核心颗粒及其表面修饰物的种类及特点进行总结分析,在此基础上进而从探针的选择与功能、检测条件、检测灵敏度及特异性等方面,对近年来磁纳米识别探针在食品体系真菌毒素检测中的应用研究进行概述归纳,并对其未来的应用前景与发展方向进行展望。     

A rapid detection of tomato yellow leaf curl virus using recombinase polymerase amplification-lateral flow dipstick assay

Tomato yellow leaf curl disease which is caused by Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is economically important and a widely spread tomato disease in China. Rapid and accurate detection methods are important in the control TYLCV. Here, a rapid method was developed to identify TYLCV on the basis of recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) that can be visualized in 5 min using lateral flow dipsticks. The sensitivity and the specificity of this method were evaluated. This method can detect 0·5 pg DNA after 30 min at 37°C without any expensive instrumentation. In addition, it showed higher sensitivity than a PCR method when purified DNA was used. Moreover, the TYLCV was specifically detected, whereas other viruses infecting tomato produced negative results. The crude tomato extracts used in this assay has potential application in minimally equipped plant clinic laboratories. This method will facilitate the early and rapid detection of TYLCV for the timely application of control measures.     

真菌毒素玉米赤霉烯酮生物降解的研究进展

玉米赤霉烯酮(Zearalenone,ZEN)及衍生物是一类主要由镰刀菌属的真菌产生的非甾体雌激素类真菌毒素,广泛存在于玉米、大麦、小麦和高粱等谷物饲料及其副产品中,严重危害牲畜及人类健康,迫切需要相关的技术对ZEN进行降解脱毒。传统的物理化学方法不能有效去除谷物中的毒素,并会破坏谷物的营养成分,影响食物口感,甚至造成二次污染,因此利用生物工程技术对ZEN及其衍生物进行脱毒是未来解决这一问题的主要方法。文中简要介绍了ZEN及衍生物和降解ZEN的微生物种类、降解特性,然后详细介绍了目前研究的ZEN降解酶种类、解析唯一的蛋白结构及其异源表达和应用情况,以期为通过分子酶工程和发酵工程等生物工程技术降低ZEN降解酶的成本提供指导,从而提高食品安全。     

A simple and rapid colloidal gold-based immunochromatogarpic strip test for detection of FMDV serotype A

A sandwich format immunochromatographic assay for detecting foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) serotypes was developed. In this rapid test, affinity purified polyclonal antibodies from Guinea pigs which were immunized with sucking-mouse adapted FMD virus (A/AV88(L) strain) were conjugated to colloidal gold beads and used as the capture antibody, and affinity purified polyclonal antibodies from rabbits which were immunized with cell-culture adapted FMD virus (A/CHA/09 strain) were used as detector antibody. On the nitrocellulose membrane of the immunochromatographic strip, the capture antibody was laid on a sample pad, the detector antibody was printed at the test line(T) and goat anti-guinea pigs IgG antibodies were immobilized to the control line(C). The lower detection limit of the test for a FMDV 146S antigen is 11.7ng/ml as determined in serial tests after the strip device was assembled and the assay condition optimization. No cross reactions were found with FMDV serotype C, Swine vesicular disease (SVD), Vesicular stomatiti svirus (VSV) and vesicular exanthema of swine virus (VES) viral antigens with this rapid test. Clinically, the diagnostic sensitivity of this test for FMDV serotypes A was 88.7% which is as same as an indirect-sandwich ELISA. The specificity of this strip test was 98.2% and is comparable to the 98.7% obtained with indirect-sandwich ELISA. This rapid strip test is simple, easy and fast for clinical testing on field sites; no special instruments and skills are required, and the result can be obtained within 15 min. To our knowledge, this is the first rapid immunochromatogarpic assay for serotype A of FMDV.     

Construction of electrochemical flow immunoassay system using capillary columns and ferrocene conjugated immunoglobulin G for detection of human chorionic gonadotrophin

In this paper is reported a miniaturized flow immunoassay system. Ferrocenecarboxylic acid (Fc) conjugated with anti-HCG immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody (Fc–IgG) was prepared, and used as a novel analytical reagent. The system consists of the immunoreaction section, the capillary column packed with cation exchange resin, and the flow cell for electrochemical detection of Fc–IgG. Antibody–antigen complexes were separated from their free conjugate on the basis of differences in isoelectric point (pI) using a cation exchange capillary column. The assay yielded a linear relationship between signal and HCG concentration in the range 0–2000 mIU/ml. This simple technique enables the assay of HCG within 2 min. The cation exchange capillary column was regenerated by occasional elution with malonate buffer (pH 6.0) containing 0.5 M NaCl, to remove free conjugate. Free conjugate recovered in this manner could be reused up to eight times without significant decreases in the sensitivity of the immunoassay. This electrochemical flow immunoassay requires only minute quantities of serum and generates highly reproducible results.     

Principles of some novel rapid dipstick methods for detection and characterization of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli

AIMS: The verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) serotype most commonly associated with verotoxin (VT) production is O157:H7, but other serotypes have also been implicated in food-borne illness. These serotypes exhibit much greater genetic and biochemical diversity than E. coli O157:H7, making screening for all VTEC difficult. Here we describe development and testing of novel multi-analyte antibody-based dipstick methods for presumptive detection of VTEC cells and VTs, including non-O157 serotypes. METHODS AND RESULTS: The dipsticks are formatted as paddle-style and lateral flow devices. Test materials included raw milk, minced beef, apple juice and salami, spiked with VTEC. Prototype paddle dipsticks gave 47 of 48 E. coli O157-positive samples correct, and, simultaneously, 27 of 31 O26-positive samples correct, across the four food types. Prototype lateral flow dipsticks gave 12 of 12 E. coli O157-positive milk samples correct and, simultaneously, 28 of 28 positive VT samples correct. CONCLUSIONS: This work demonstrates that simple and rapid detection of more than one VTEC characteristic (toxin production and type, serogroup) is possible in a single dipstick test device, directly from a food enrichment culture. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The development of simple easy-to-use rapid methods for simultaneous detection and preliminary characterization of VTEC will enable the risk presented by all VTEC to be more thoroughly assessed (e.g. in surveillance studies, outbreak investigations).     

一种超高灵敏的埃博拉病毒胶体碳侧流免疫层析检测方法的建立

埃博拉出血热 (Ebola hemorrhagic fever, EHF) 由于其高感染性和高致死率特点,快速鉴别诊断并实施隔离是最有效的防止疫情扩散的措施。文中建立了一种可以快速、高灵敏筛查埃博拉病毒 (Ebola virus,EBOV)感染的现场检测技术,用碳纳米颗粒标记抗EBOV基质蛋白VP40兔多克隆抗体,组装成一种可在15 min内检测埃博拉病毒的胶体碳侧流免疫层析试纸条。将标记胶体碳颗粒的兔多抗喷涂于玻璃纤维素膜上制备碳标垫;以1 mg/mL的抗VP40单克隆抗体 (McAb,4B7F9) 和羊抗兔IgG,按照2 μL/cm的包被量印迹于硝酸纤维膜上,分别作为检测线与质控线,组装试纸条。该试纸条能够特异地检测EBOV重组VP40蛋白、EBOV病毒样颗粒(Virus-like particles,VLP) 和灭活EBOV,而与马尔堡病毒样颗粒 (MARV-VLP)、流感病毒A/PR/8 (IAV/PR/8)、黄热病毒 (YFV-17D)、登革热病毒2型 (DEN2) 无交叉反应,显示良好的特异性,对1 500份阴性血清进行检测,假阳性率为1.3‰,仅为WHO授权ReEBOV?胶体金试纸的1/100;该胶体碳试纸条检测灭活EBOV的最低检出限为100 ng/mL (相当于106 copies/mL),远优于ReEBOV?胶体金试纸条检出限 (10 μg/mL,相当于108 copies /mL)。热稳定性评价显示试纸条可在室温稳定保存1年以上。文中建立的EBOV胶体碳免疫层析试纸条能够快速、超高灵敏、特异地检测EBOV,为现场快速筛查EBOV感染提供一种新方法。     

Chemiluminescent and bioluminescent assays as innovative prospects for mycotoxin determination in food and feed.

Mycotoxin contamination of food and feedstuffs is among the top priorities for human and animal safety. The currently used techniques for mycotoxin determination, either chromatography or ELISA, are unsuitable for routine in-field assessment. There is an urgent need for other accurate, simple and cost-effective techniques that can be used as a screening tool for a rapid estimation of mycotoxin contamination in commodity lots. This paper reviews the literature on the use of chemiluminescence (CL) and bioluminescence (BL) assays for direct or indirect mycotoxin assessment. The chemiluminescence immunoassays, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence and bioassays are reviewed and their advantages and limitations discussed. These techniques used in food testing and the pharmaceutical industry offer promise as rapid techniques for mycotoxin determination. Chemiluminescence and bioluminescence bioassays are the most innovative alternatives to the conventional techniques used for mycotoxin determination in food and feed.     

A magnetic particles-based chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay for rapid detection of ovalbumin

Egg allergy is an important public health and safety concern, so quantification and administration of food or vaccines containing ovalbumin (OVA) are urgently needed. This study aimed to establish a rapid and sensitive magnetic particles–chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay (MPs–CLEIA) for the determination of OVA. The proposed method was developed on the basis of a double antibodies sandwich immunoreaction and luminol–H₂O₂ chemiluminescence system. The MPs served as both the solid phase and separator, the anti-OVA MPs-coated polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) were used as capturing antibody, and the horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled monoclonal antibody (mAb) was taken as detecting antibody. The parameters of the method were evaluated and optimized. The established MPs–CLEIA method had a linear range from 0.31 to 100 ng/ml with a detection limit of 0.24 ng/ml. The assays showed low reactivities and less than 5% of intraassay and interassay coefficients of variation (CVs), and the average recoveries were between 92 and 97%. Furthermore, the developed method was applied in real samples analysis successfully, and the correlation coefficient with the commercially available OVA kit was 0.9976. Moreover, it was more rapid and sensitive compared with the other methods for testing OVA.     

A rapid and sensitive immunoassay for the detection of gasoline and diesel fuel in contaminated soil

An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was developed using a monoclonal antibody (MAb) reagent that detects gasoline and diesel fuel. Xylene and toluene derivatives, which are common components of gasoline, were synthesized with various types of spacers and conjugated to either bovine serum albumen or bovine thyroglobulin. A total of 16 different hapten conjugates were used for immunizing both Balb/c and Swiss Webster mice. A panel of MAbs were produced that recognized xylene and toluene in a competitive EIA. An enzyme‐hapten conjugate was prepared for the MAb (F12–3C8) that demonstrated the most suitable characteristics for sensitivity, cross‐reactivity, and compatibility with extraction buffers. The resulting EIA gave ED₅₀ values for m‐xylene of less than 1 ppm and values of less than 500 ppb for gasoline. Diesel fuel was also detected, with ED₃₀ values in the range of 300 ppb. When samples of gasoline were tested, the EIA gave consistent ED₃₀ values that were independent of manufacturer or octane rating. The EIA was compatible with simplified methods for the extraction of petroleum products from soil. The EIA detected gasoline in spiked soil samples, but was not affected by extracts of negative soil samples. Commercialization of this assay will offer speed, cost effectiveness, and other significant advantages over current testing methods of gasoline and diesel fuel contamination levels in soil.     

Improved bioluminescent enzyme immunoassay for the rapid detection of Salmonella in chicken meat samples

AIMS: To evaluate an improved bioluminescent enzyme immunoassay (BEIA) using biotinylated firefly luciferase for the rapid detection of Salmonella in naturally contaminated chicken meat samples. METHODS AND RESULTS: Capture agents and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extraction reagents for Salmonella were investigated to improve the sensitivity of the BEIA. Also, the use of Oxoid SPRINT (Simple Pre-enrichment and Rapid Isolation New Technology) as a pre-enrichment and selective medium for 26-h BEIA detection of Salmonella in chicken meat samples was examined. The use of polymyxin B as a capture agent on solid support and 3-[(3-Cholamidopropyl) dimethylammonio] propanesulfonic acid (CHAPS) for extraction of the LPS facilitated sensitive detection of Salmonella. Of 120 chicken meat samples, 25 samples were positive using the improved BEIA with the SPRINT and 25 samples were positive using the SPRINT followed by the standard isolation methods. CONCLUSIONS: The improved BEIA, in which polymxin B was used as a capture agent and CHAPS was used for extraction of the antigen, had a sensitivity of 96.0% and a specificity of 98.9% for the detection of Salmonella in chicken meat. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The improved BEIA combined with the SPRINT medium for the detection of Salmonella in chicken meat samples produced comparable results to the culture methods in 26 h.     

The mycotoxin beauvericin induces oocyte mitochondrial dysfunction and affects embryo development in the juvenile sheep

Beauvericin (BEA) is a mycotoxin produced by Beauveria bassiana and Fusarium species recently reported as toxic on porcine oocyte maturation and embryo development. The aim of this study was to assess, in the juvenile sheep, whether its effects are due to alterations of oocyte and/or embryo bioenergetic/oxidative status. Cumulus‐oocyte‐complexes (COCs) were exposed to BEA during in vitro maturation (IVM), evaluated for cumulus cell (CC) apoptosis, oocyte maturation and bioenergetic/oxidative status or subjected to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo culture (IVEC). Oocyte nuclear maturation and embryo development were assessed after Hoechst staining and CC apoptosis was analysed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated dUTP nick‐End labeling assay and chromatin morphology after Hoechst staining by epifluorescence microscopy. Oocyte and blastocyst bioenergetic/oxidative status were assessed by confocal microscopy after mitochondria and reactive oxygen species labelling with specific probes. BEA showed various toxic effects, that is, short‐term effects on somatic and germinal compartment of the COC (CCs and the oocyte) and long‐term carry‐over effects on developing embryos. In detail, at 5 µM, it significantly reduced oocyte maturation and immature oocytes showed increased late‐stage (Type C) CC apoptosis and DNA fragmentation while matured oocytes showed unaffected CC viability but abnormal mitochondrial distribution patterns. At lower tested concentrations (3–0.5 µM), BEA did not affect oocyte maturation, but matured oocytes showed reduced mitochondrial activity. At low concentrations, BEA impaired embryo developmental capacity and blastocyst quality after IVF and IVEC. In conclusion, in the juvenile sheep, COC exposure to BEA induces CC apoptosis and oocyte mitochondrial dysfunction with negative impact on embryo development.