Mobile Automatic Detection System for Bacillus anthracis using Electrochemical DNA Chip

A novel detection system for biological agents using Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) and an electrochemical DNA chip, Bio BulwarkTM, has been developed. Genomic DNAs/RNAs roughly extracted from biological agents were amplified by the LAMP method using target-specific primers and strand-displace polymerase. The amplified DNAs were processed to hybridization with the electrochemical DNA chip. Anodic current derived from hoechst 33258, an electrochemically active intercalator, was relative to the amount of the target DNA hybridized with target-specific probes on the DNA chip. All reactions and measurements were conducted using disposable cassettes, which included the reagents for amplification and the DNA chip, and a mobile automatic detection system. The preliminary study showed that accurate detection of B. anthracis was carried out within 70 minutes. This system would prevent or minimize damage in the event of a criminal attack involving a biological threat.