This technology is an in vitro platform for biosensing of various stimuli, encoding the readout in the spatial distribution of the engineered bacterial strain.
Molecular detection is employed in a wide variety of fields, from detection of water safety to the diagnosis of disease. Typically, the output of these systems is colorimetric or fluorometric, but the need for sensation of diverse and complex signals is expanding. Bacterial cells offer a unique opportunity to expand the current capabilities of sensors, for their properties as a living cell can be engineered to detect a complex combination of target molecules or patterns. One untapped facet of living biosensors is the ability to change spatial organization as a response.
This technology utilizes the swarming genes of Proteus mirabilis, which function to produce unique swarming behavior and patterns when exposed to predetermined chemical stimuli. The data generated from the patterns can then be analyzed for detection or diagnosis of various stimuli, as well as information encoding within the patterning. This novel biosensor can be multiplexed with different engineered strains to detect various stimuli and encode complex information to be interpreted visually or through machine learning.
This technology has been validated in vitro.
Patent Pending
