Wash-Free Amperometric Escherichia coli Detection via Rapid and Specific Proteolytic Cleavage by Its Outer Membrane OmpT

Anal Chem. 2022 Mar 22;94(11):4756-4762. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c05299. Epub 2022 Feb 10.

Abstract

Various methods have been developed for the detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli); however, they are complex and time-consuming. OmpT─a cell membrane endopeptidase of E. coli─strongly embedded in the outer membrane of only E. coli, exposed to external solutions, with high proteolytic activity, could be a suitable target molecule for the rapid and straightforward detection of E. coli. Herein, a wash-free, sensitive, and selective amperometric method for E. coli detection, based on rapid and specific proteolytic cleavage by OmpT, has been reported. The method involved (i) rapid proteolytic cleavage of consecutive amino acids, after cleavage by OmpT, linked to an electrochemical species (4-aminophenol, AP), by leucine aminopeptidase (LAP, an exopeptidase), (ii) affinity binding of E. coli on an electrode, and (iii) electrochemical-enzymatic (EN) redox cycling. OmpT cleaved the intermediate peptide bond of a peptide substrate containing alanine-arginine-arginine-leucine-AP (-A-R-R-L-AP), forming R-L-AP, followed by the cleavage of two peptide bonds of R-L-AP sequentially by LAP, to liberate an electroactive AP. Affinity binding and EN redox cycling, in addition to rapid proteolytic cleavage by OmpT and LAP, enabled high electrochemical signal amplification. Two-sequential-cleavage was employed for the first time in protease-based detection. The calculated detection limit for E. coli cells in tap water (approximately 103 CFU/mL after 1 h incubation) was lower than those obtained without affinity binding and EN redox cycling. The detection method was highly selective to E. coli as OmpT is present in only E. coli. High sensitivity, selectivity, and the absence of wash steps make the developed detection method practically promising.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arginine
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • Endopeptidases / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli Proteins* / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli* / metabolism
  • Peptide Hydrolases / metabolism
  • Peptides / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Peptides
  • ompT protein, E coli
  • Arginine
  • Endopeptidases
  • Peptide Hydrolases