Use of mini-antibodies for detection of bacteriophages by the electroaucoustic analysis method

The possibility of detecting bacteriophages using phage mini-antibodies by the electroacoustic analysis method using bacteriophages FA1-59b was shown. It was found that the frequency dependence of the real and imaginary parts of the electrical impedance of a resonator with a suspension of phages and the appropriate antibodies significantly differs from that of the resonator with a control virus suspension without addition of mini-antibodies. The amount of FAl-Sp59b bacteriophage in the analyzed suspension varied from ~10¹⁰ to 10⁶ phage/mL; the analysis did not take longer than 5 min. The change in the real or imaginary parts of the electrical impedance at the fixed frequency near the resonance after addition of specific mini-antibodies in the suspension appeared to be an optimal information parameter to obtain reliable information. These results may allow the development of a biological sensor to identify and quantify viruses in the liquid phase.