Detection of the Causative Agent of Tularemia by Surface Plasmon Resonance

Abstract

A method for detection of causative agent of tularemia in aqueous solutions by surface plasmon resonance spectrometry was proposed. The kinetics of immobilization of antibodies to Francisella tularensis on the surface of gold-plated glass chips was studied. Based on a quantitative analysis of the results, it was concluded that the antibody molecules were predominantly laterally oriented on the surface. This conclusion was confirmed by analysis of sensorgrams of the subsequent antigen–antibody interaction. It is shown that the proposed method can reliably determine the presence of the causative agent of tularemia in aqueous solutions with a sensitivity of 1.0 × 10² cell/mL for several minutes. Various options for improving this method for detection of the tularemia causative agent to increase its sensitivity have been proposed.