Researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno have designed cutting-edge functionalized nanoprobes, revolutionizing the detection of bacteria in healthcare and research settings. Our nanoprobes combine advanced nanotechnology with exceptional sensitivity to provide accurate and rapid identification of bacterial pathogens.
Probes are comprised of spherical fullerene molecules with formula C60 (aka Buckyballs) that have a cage-like fused ring structure. The Buckyballs are synthesized to contain a nucleic acid sequence unique to each microbe. This technology identifies individual microbes by conjugating Buckyballs with a specific fluorophore reporter. The probe complex passes through the bacterial cell wall and the reporter probe is released and fluoresces for bacteria containing specific RNA recognized by the reporter.
Buckyballs have been demonstrated to penetrate both Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial cells and localize within the bacteria as visualized by transmission electron microscopy. To date, the inventors have synthesized Buckyballs to detect and image multiple microbes including B. subtilis, S. sanguine, and E. coli. Furthermore, the inventors have demonstrated the application of Buckyballs in visualizing microbes in histology sections in support of their use as a clinical diagnostic.