87 results on '"Alejandro Garrido-Maestu"'
Search Results
2. Evaluating Commercial Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Master Mixes for Enhanced Detection of Foodborne Pathogens
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Ana Costa-Ribeiro, Alexandre Lamas, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
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loop-mediated isothermal amplification ,LAMP ,master mix ,foodborne pathogens ,L. monocytogenes ,Salmonella spp. ,Chemical technology ,TP1-1185 - Abstract
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification, LAMP, is nowadays the most popular isothermal nucleic acid amplification technique, and as such, several commercial, ready-to-use master mixes have flourished. Unfortunately, independent studies to determine their performance are limited. The current study performed an independent evaluation of the existing ready-to-use commercial LAMP master mixes WarmStart® LAMP Kit, LavaLAMP™ DNA Master Mix, Saphir Bst Turbo GreenMaster, OptiGene Fast Master Mix ISO-004, and SynLAMP Mix. To reduce bias, three different genes, namely ttr (Salmonella spp.), rfbE (E. coli O157), and hly (Listeria monocytogenes), were targeted. The comparison was based on amplification speed, performance with decreasing DNA concentrations, and the effect of five typical LAMP reaction additives (betaine, DMSO, pullulan, TMAC, and GuHCl). Significant differences were observed among the different master mixes. OptiGene provided the fastest amplification and showed less detrimental effects associated with the supplements evaluated. Out of the chemicals tested, pullulan provided the best results in terms of amplification speed. It is noteworthy that the different additives impacted the master mixes differently. Overall, the current study provides insights into the performance of commercial LAMP master mixes, which can be of value for the scientific community to better select appropriate reagents when developing new methods.
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- 2024
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3. Moving towards on-site detection of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in ready-to-eat leafy greens
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Ana Costa-Ribeiro, Alexandre Lamas, Azucena Mora, Marta Prado, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
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STEC ,Shiga toxin-producing E. coli ,stx1 ,stx2 ,Point-of-care ,Loop-mediated isothermal amplification ,Nutrition. Foods and food supply ,TX341-641 ,Food processing and manufacture ,TP368-456 - Abstract
Rapid identification of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, or STEC, is of utmost importance to assure the innocuousness of the foodstuffs. STEC have been implicated in outbreaks associated with different types of foods however, among them, ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables are particularly problematic as they are consumed raw, and are rich in compounds that inhibit DNA-based detection methods such as qPCR. In the present study a novel method based on Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to overcome the limitations associated with current molecular methods for the detection of STEC in RTE vegetables targeting stx1 and stx2 genes. In this sense, LAMP demonstrated to be more robust against inhibitory substances in food. In this study, a comprehensive enrichment protocol was combined with four inexpensive DNA extraction protocols. The one based on silica purification enhanced the performance of the method, therefore it was selected for its implementation in the final method. Additionally, three different detection chemistries were compared, namely real-time fluorescence detection, and two end-point colorimetric strategies, one based on the addition of SYBR Green, and the other based on a commercial colorimetric master mix. After optimization, all three chemistries demonstrated suitable for the detection of STEC in spiked RTE salad samples, as it was possible to reach a LOD50 of 0.9, 1.4, and 7.0 CFU/25 g for the real-time, SYBR and CC LAMP assays respectively. All the performance parameters reached values higher than 90 %, when compared to a reference method based on multiplex qPCR. More specifically, the analytical sensitivity was 100, 90.0 and 100 % for real-time, SYBR and CC LAMP respectively, the specificity 100 % for all three assays, and accuracy 100, 96 and 100 %. Finally, a high degree of concordance was also obtained (1, 0.92 and 1 respectively). Considering the current technological advances, the method reported, using any of the three detection strategies, demonstrated suitable for their implementation in decentralized settings, with low equipment resources.
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- 2024
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4. Whole genome sequencing in the palm of your hand: how to implement a MinION Galaxy-based workflow in a food safety laboratory for rapid Salmonella spp. serotyping, virulence, and antimicrobial resistance gene identification
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Alexandre Lamas, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Alberto Prieto, Alberto Cepeda, and Carlos Manuel Franco
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Salmonella spp. ,whole genome sequencing ,MinION ,Flongle ,serotyping ,antimicrobial resistance ,Microbiology ,QR1-502 - Abstract
IntroductionWhole Genome Sequencing (WGS) implementation in food safety laboratories is a significant advancement in food pathogen control and outbreak tracking. However, the initial investment for acquiring next-generation sequencing platforms and the need for bioinformatic skills represented an obstacle for the widespread use of WGS. Long-reading technologies, such as the one developed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies, can be easily implemented with a minor initial investment and with simple protocols that can be performed with basic laboratory equipment.MethodsHerein, we report a simple MinION Galaxy-based workflow with analysis parameters that allow its implementation in food safety laboratories with limited computer resources and without previous knowledge in bioinformatics for rapid Salmonella serotyping, virulence, and identification of antimicrobial resistance genes. For that purpose, the single use Flongle flow cells, along with the MinION Mk1B for WGS, and the community-driven web-based analysis platform Galaxy for bioinformatic analysis was used. Three strains belonging to three different serotypes, monophasic S. Typhimurium, S. Grancanaria, and S. Senftenberg, were sequenced.ResultsAfter 24 h of sequencing, enough coverage was achieved in order to perform de novo assembly in all three strains. After evaluating different tools, Flye de novo assemblies with medaka polishing were shown to be optimal for in silico Salmonella spp. serotyping with SISRT tool followed by antimicrobial and virulence gene identification with ABRicate.DiscussionThe implementation of the present workflow in food safety laboratories with limited computer resources allows a rapid characterization of Salmonella spp. isolates.
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- 2023
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5. Evaluation of the Novel mTA10 Selective Broth, MSB, for the Co-Enrichment and Detection of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157 and Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Salad Samples
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Ana Costa-Ribeiro, Alexandre Lamas, Marta Prado, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
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selective enrichment ,multiplex qPCR ,Salmonella spp. ,Escherichia coli O157 ,Listeria monocytogenes ,Chemical technology ,TP1-1185 - Abstract
Multiplex assays implementing DNA-based methods have been demonstrated as suitable alternatives to culture-based microbiological methods; however, in most cases, they still require a suitable enrichment step. Finding suitable enrichment conditions for different bacteria may result in challenges. In the present study, a novel selective broth named MSB (mTA10 selective broth) was formulated for the simultaneous recovery of Salmonella spp., E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes. Attention was paid to ensure the optimal enrichment of L. monocytogenes as its enrichment is more challenging. To this end, cellobiose was added to increase the growth of L. monocytogenes, and sodium pyruvate was also added to improve the recovery of stressed bacteria. Four selective agents were added, namely nalidixic acid, sodium cholate, lithium chloride and potassium tellurite, to control the growth of interfering microorganisms. It was concluded that the novel broth was suitable for the simultaneous enrichment of the target pathogens, allowing them to reach concentrations higher than 7 log CFU/mL for each bacterium in pure culture. Furthermore, all heavily contaminated ready-to-eat salad samples reached concentrations higher than 5 log CFU/g. Finally, after 24 h of enrichment of spiked salad, it was possible to detect concentrations below 10 CFU/25 g.
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- 2023
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6. Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Activity of Chitosan Nanoparticles against Listeria monocytogenes
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Sara Pereira, Ana Costa-Ribeiro, Pilar Teixeira, Laura Rodríguez-Lorenzo, Marta Prado, Miguel A. Cerqueira, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
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chitosan nanoparticles ,antimicrobial ,Listeria monocytogenes ,low molecular weight ,Organic chemistry ,QD241-441 - Abstract
Chitosan is obtained from the deacetylation of chitin, and it is known to possess antimicrobial activity. It has attracted attention as it may be used for treating infections caused by different types of microorganisms due to its broad spectrum. Its application in the form of micro- or nanoparticles (CM/CN) has expanded its usage, as in this form, it retains its activity, and remain stable in aqueous solutions. However, inconsistencies in the results reported by different authors have been identified. In this communication, the antimicrobial activity of CN produced from different starting materials was tested against Listeria monocytogenes. It was observed that, even though all the starting materials were reported to have a molecular weight (MW) below 200 kDa and degree of deacetylation (DD) > 75%, the size of the CNs were significantly different (263 nm vs. 607 nm). Furthermore, these differences in sizes exerted a direct effect on the antimicrobial properties of the particles, as when testing the ones with the smallest size, i.e., 263 nm, a lower Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was achieved, i.e., 0.04 mg/mL. Even though the largest particles, i.e., 607 nm, in individual experiments were able to achieve an MIC of 0.03 mg/mL, the results with CN presented great variation among replicates and up to 0.2 mg/mL were needed in other replicates. The starting material has a critical impact on the properties of the CN, and it must be carefully characterized and selected for the intended application, and MW and DD solely do not fully account for these properties.
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- 2023
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7. Application of MinION sequencing as a tool for the rapid detection and characterization of Listeria monocytogenes in smoked salmon
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Sarah Azinheiro, Foteini Roumani, Ana Costa-Ribeiro, Marta Prado, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
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long-read sequencing ,MinION ,Listeria monocytogenes ,serotyping ,ready-to-eat ,smoked salmon ,Microbiology ,QR1-502 - Abstract
Microbial pathogens may be present in different types of foods, and hence the development of novel methods to assure consumers' safeness is of great interest. Molecular methods are known to provide sensitive and rapid results; however, they are typically targeted approaches. In recent years, the advent of non-targeted approaches based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) has emerged as a rational way to proceed. This technology allows for the detection of several pathogens simultaneously. Furthermore, with the same set of data, it is possible to characterize the microorganisms in terms of serotype, virulence, and/ or resistance genes, among other molecular features. In the current study, a novel method for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes based on the “quasimetagenomics” approach was developed. Different enrichment media and immunomagnetic separation (IMS) strategies were compared to determine the best approach in terms of L. monocytogenes sequences generated from smoked salmon samples. Finally, the data generated were analyzed with a user-friendly workflow that simultaneously provided the species identification, serotype, and antimicrobial resistance genes. The new method was thoroughly evaluated against a culture-based approach, using smoked salmon inoculated with L. monocytogenes as the matrix of choice. The sequencing method reached a very low limit of detection (LOD50, 1.2 CFU/ 25 g) along with high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity (100%), and a perfect correlation with the culture-based method (Cohen's k = 1.00). Overall, the proposed method overcomes all the major limitations reported for the implementation of NGS as a routine food testing technology and paves the way for future developments taking its advantage into consideration.
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- 2022
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8. Faster monitoring of the invasive alien species (IAS) Dreissena polymorpha in river basins through isothermal amplification
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Joana Carvalho, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Sarah Azinheiro, Pablo Fuciños, Jorge Barros-Velázquez, Ramón J. De Miguel, Verónica Gros, and Marta Prado
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
Abstract Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) is considered as one of the 100 most harmful IAS in the world. Traditional detection methods have limitations, and PCR based environmental DNA detection has provided interesting results for early warning. However, in the last years, the development of isothermal amplification methods has received increasing attention. Among them, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has several advantages, including its higher tolerance to the presence of inhibitors and the possibility of naked-eye detection, which enables and simplifies its potential use in decentralized settings. In the current study, a real-time LAMP (qLAMP) method for the detection of Dreissena polymorpha was developed and tested with samples from the Guadalquivir River basin, together with two real-time PCR (qPCR) methods using different detection chemistries, targeting a specific region of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome C oxidase subunit I. All three developed approaches were evaluated regarding specificity, sensitivity and time required for detection. Regarding sensitivity, both qPCR approaches were more sensitive than qLAMP by one order of magnitude, however the qLAMP method proved to be as specific and much faster being performed in just 9 min versus 23 and 29 min for the qPCR methods based on hydrolysis probe and intercalating dye respectively.
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- 2021
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9. Evaluation of simple sequence repeats (SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based methods in olive varieties from the Northwest of Spain and potential for miniaturization
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Joana Carvalho, Shambhavi Yadav, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Sarah Azinheiro, Isabel Trujillo, Jorge Barros-Velázquez, and Marta Prado
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Cultivated olive ,Simple sequence repeats ,Single nucleotide polymorphisms ,HRM ,Allele-specific qPCR ,Miniaturization ,Nutrition. Foods and food supply ,TX341-641 - Abstract
Miniaturization of DNA-based techniques can bring interesting advantages for food analysis, such as portability of complex analytical procedures. In the olive oil industry, miniaturization can be particularly interesting for authenticity and traceability applications, through in situ control of raw materials before production and/or the final products. However, variety identification is challenging, and implementation on miniaturized settings must be carefully evaluated, starting from the selected analytical approach. In this work, SSR- and SNP-based genotyping strategies were investigated for the identification and differentiation of two olive varieties from the Northwest of Spain. For the selected SNPs two genotyping methods were tested: real-time allele-specific PCR and high resolution melting analysis. These methods were compared and evaluated regarding their potential for integration in a microfluidic device. Both SNP-based methods proved to be successful for identification of the selected varieties, however real-time allele-specific PCR was the one that achieved the best results when analyzing mixtures, allowing the identification of both monovarietal samples and mixtures of the varieties tested with up to 25%.
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- 2021
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10. Data on minute DNA quantification on microvolumetric solutions: comparison of mathematical models and effect of some compounds on the DNA quantification accuracy
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Joana Carvalho, Renato Negrinho, Sarah Azinheiro, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Jorge Barros-Velázquez, and Marta Prado
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Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics ,R858-859.7 ,Science (General) ,Q1-390 - Abstract
This article contains data related to the research article entitled “Novel approach for accurate minute DNA quantification on microvolumetric solutions” (Carvalho et al., 2018). The combination of PicoGreen® with a microvolume fluorospectrometer is a popular DNA quantification method due to its high sensitivity and minimal consumption of sample, being commonly used to evaluate the performance of microfluidic devices designed for DNA purification. In this study, the authors present data related with the effect of DNA fragmentation level. The present data article includes the data used on the precision evaluation, in terms of repeatability, of the mathematical models developed to obtain the standards curve for salmon sperm DNA (low molecular weight). In addition, results related with the effect of some compounds on the DNA quantification accuracy using λDNA are presented.
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- 2018
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11. Application of Short Pre-enrichment, and Double Chemistry Real-Time PCR, Combining Fluorescent Probes and an Intercalating Dye, for Same-Day Detection and Confirmation of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157 in Ground Beef and Chicken Samples
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Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Sarah Azinheiro, Foteini Roumani, Joana Carvalho, and Marta Prado
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melt curve analysis ,Salmonella spp. ,Escherichia coli O157 ,intercalating dye ,same-day detection ,hydrolysis probe ,Microbiology ,QR1-502 - Abstract
Molecular methods, particularly those based on real-time PCR (qPCR), have become a popular approach to detect pathogens in food samples. This technique may take advantage of hydrolysis fluorescent probes for increased specificity. Even though suitable, this approach loses the capacity of performing result confirmation by melt curve analysis. In the current study, we developed an alternative approach, combining fluorescent probes along with an intercalating dye (SYBR Green) in order to simultaneously detect, and confirm the result, of two foodborne pathogens (Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157). This new approach named double chemistry qPCR was combined with a short pre-enrichment in order to obtain a multiplex “same-day” detection method for the selected pathogens. The evaluation of the novel method in spiked food samples (ground beef and chicken breast) obtained values of relative sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy higher than 95%, and Cohen’s kappa of 0.92, with a Limit of Detection95 below 5 cfu/25 g, demonstrating its reliability. In addition to this, the method was challenged by inoculating heat-stressed bacteria as well as dead ones. It was observed that it was also possible to detect stressed bacteria with an initial inoculation level below 10 cfu/25 g. Also, it was noticed that high initial concentration of either pathogen (higher than 104 cfu/25 g) was needed in order to generate false positive results due to the presence of dead bacteria, thus the method presents potential for its application in the specific detection of live microorganisms.
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- 2020
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12. An Evaluation of the Pathogenic Potential, and the Antimicrobial Resistance, of Salmonella Strains Isolated from Mussels
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Antonio Lozano-León, Carlos García-Omil, Rafael R. Rodríguez-Souto, Alexandre Lamas, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
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Salmonella spp. ,virulence genes ,antibiotic resistance ,mussel ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
Salmonella spp. and antimicrobial resistant microorganisms are two of the most important health issues worldwide. In the present study, strains naturally isolated from mussels harvested in Galicia (one of the main production areas in the world), were genetically characterized attending to the presence of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes. Additionally, the antimicrobial profile was also determined phenotypically. Strains presenting several virulence genes were isolated but lacked all the antimicrobial resistance genes analyzed. The fact that some of these strains presented multidrug resistance, highlighted the possibility of bearing different genes than those analyzed, or resistance based on completely different mechanisms. The current study highlights the importance of constant surveillance in order to improve the safety of foods.
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- 2022
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13. Correction: Azinheiro et al. Multiplex Detection of Salmonella spp., E. coli O157 and L. monocytogenes by qPCR Melt Curve Analysis in Spiked Infant Formula. Microorganisms 2020, 8, 1359
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Sarah Azinheiro, Joana Carvalho, Marta Prado, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
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n/a ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
The authors would like to make the following correction to the published paper [...]
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- 2021
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14. Optimization and Clinical Evaluation of a Multi-Target Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assay for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Nasopharyngeal Samples
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Foteini Roumani, Sarah Azinheiro, Hugo Sousa, Ana Sousa, Mafalda Timóteo, Tatiana Varandas, Daniela Fonseca-Silva, Inês Baldaque, Joana Carvalho, Marta Prado, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
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SARS-CoV-2 ,RT-LAMP ,clinical evaluation ,ORF8 ,ORF3a ,Microbiology ,QR1-502 - Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19, which has spread worldwide, affecting more than 200 countries, infecting over 140 million people in one year. The gold standard to identify infected people is RT-qPCR, which is highly sensitive, but needs specialized equipment and trained personnel. The demand for these reagents has caused shortages in certain countries. Isothermal nucleic acid techniques, such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) have emerged as an alternative or as a complement to RT-qPCR. In this study, we developed and evaluated a multi-target RT-LAMP for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The method was evaluated against an RT-qPCR in 152 clinical nasopharyngeal swab samples. The results obtained indicated that both assays presented a “good concordance” (Cohen’s k of 0.69), the RT-LAMP was highly specific (99%) but had lower sensitivity compared to the gold standard (63.3%). The calculated low sensitivity was associated with samples with very low viral load (RT-qPCR Cq values higher than 35) which may be associated with non-infectious individuals. If an internal Cq threshold below 35 was set, the sensitivity and Cohen’s k increased to 90.9% and 0.92, respectively. The interpretation of the Cohen’s k for this was “very good concordance”. The RT-LAMP is an attractive approach for frequent individual testing in decentralized setups.
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- 2021
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15. Multiplex Detection of Salmonella spp., E. coli O157 and L. monocytogenes by qPCR Melt Curve Analysis in Spiked Infant Formula
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Sarah Azinheiro, Joana Carvalho, Marta Prado, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
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multiplex qPCR ,melting analysis ,food analysis ,Listeria monocytogenes ,Salmonella spp. ,E coli O157 ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
Food poisoning continue to be a threat in the food industry showing a need to improve the detection of the pathogen responsible for the hospitalization cases and death. DNA-based techniques represent a real advantage and allow the detection of several targets at the same time, reducing cost and time of analysis. The development of new methodology using SYBR Green qPCR for the detection of L. monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and E. coli O157 simultaneously was developed and a non-competitive internal amplification control (NC-IAC) was implemented to detect reaction inhibition. The formulation and supplementation of the enrichment medium was also optimized to allow the growth of all pathogens. The limit of detection (LoD) 95% obtained was E. coli O157, and 2 CFU/25 g for Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes and regarding the multiplex detection a LoD 95% of 1.7 CFU/25 g was observed. The specificity, relative sensitivity and accuracy of full methodology were 100% and the use of the NC-IAC allowed the reliability of the results without interfering with the sensitivity of the methodology. The described study proved to obtain results comparable to those of probe-based qPCR, and more economically than classical high resolution melting qPCR, being both important aspects for its implementation in the food industry.
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- 2020
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16. Application of Recombinase Polymerase Amplification with Lateral Flow for a Naked-Eye Detection of Listeria monocytogenes on Food Processing Surfaces
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Sarah Azinheiro, Joana Carvalho, Marta Prado, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
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RPA ,lateral flow ,L. monocytogenes ,surface analysis ,food processing ,Chemical technology ,TP1-1185 - Abstract
The continuous contamination of foods with L. monocytogenes, highlights the need for additional controls in the food industry. The verification of food processing plants is key to avoid cross-contaminations, and to assure the safety of the food products. In this study, a new methodology for the detection of L. monocytogenes on food contact surfaces was developed and evaluated. It combines Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) with the lateral flow (LF) naked-eye detection. Different approaches for the recovery of the bacteria from the surface, the enrichment step and downstream analysis by RPA-LF were tested and optimized. The results were compared with a standard culture-based technique and qPCR analysis. Sampling procedure with sponges was more efficient for the recovery of the bacteria than a regular swab. A 24 h enrichment in ONE broth was needed for the most sensitive detection of the pathogen. By RPA-LF, it was possible to detect 1.1 pg/µL of pure L. monocytogenes DNA, and the complete methodology reached a LoD50 of 4.2 CFU/cm2 and LoD95 of 18.2 CFU/cm2. These results are comparable with the culture-based methodology and qPCR. The developed approach allows for a next-day detection without complex equipment and a naked-eye visualization of the results.
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- 2020
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17. Multifuntional Gold Nanoparticles for the SERS Detection of Pathogens Combined with a LAMP–in–Microdroplets Approach
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Alexandra Teixeira, Juan L. Paris, Foteini Roumani, Lorena Diéguez, Marta Prado, Begoña Espiña, Sara Abalde-Cela, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, and Laura Rodriguez-Lorenzo
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gold nanoparticles ,SERS ,LAMP ,microdroplets ,glutathione ,microfluidics ,Technology ,Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering ,TK1-9971 ,Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) ,TA1-2040 ,Microscopy ,QH201-278.5 ,Descriptive and experimental mechanics ,QC120-168.85 - Abstract
We developed a droplet-based optofluidic system for the detection of foodborne pathogens. Specifically, the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique was combined with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), which offers an excellent method for DNA ultradetection. However, the direct SERS detection of DNA compromises the simplicity of data interpretation due to the variability of its SERS fingerprints. Therefore, we designed an indirect SERS detection method using multifunctional gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) based on the formation of pyrophosphate generated during the DNA amplification by LAMP. Towards this goal, we prepared multifunctional AuNPs involving three components with key roles: (1) thiolated poly(ethylene glycol) as stabilizing agent, (2) 1-naphthalenethiol as Raman reporter, and (3) glutathione as a bioinspired chelating agent of magnesium (II) ions. Thus, the variation in the SERS signal of 1-naphthalenethiol was controlled by the aggregation of AuNPs triggered by the complexation of pyrophosphate and glutathione with free magnesium ions. Using this strategy, we detected Listeria monocytogenes, not only in buffer, but also in a food matrix (i.e., ultra-high temperaturemilk) enabled by the massive production of hotspots as a result of the self-assemblies that enhanced the SERS signal. This allowed the development of a microdroplet-LAMP-SERS platform with isothermal amplification and real-time identification capabilities.
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- 2020
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18. Combination of Microfluidic Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification with Gold Nanoparticles for Rapid Detection of Salmonella spp. in Food Samples
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Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Sarah Azinheiro, Joana Carvalho, Sara Abalde-Cela, Enrique Carbó-Argibay, Lorena Diéguez, Marek Piotrowski, Yury V. Kolen’ko, and Marta Prado
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microfluidics ,gold nanoparticles ,Salmonella spp. ,LAMP ,invA ,Microbiology ,QR1-502 - Abstract
Foodborne diseases are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. According to the World Health Organization, there are 31 main global hazards, which caused in 2010 600 million foodborne illnesses and 420000 deaths. Among them, Salmonella spp. is one of the most important human pathogens, accounting for more than 90000 cases in Europe and even more in the United States per year. In the current study we report the development, and thorough evaluation in food samples, of a microfluidic system combining loop-mediated isothermal amplification with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). This system is intended for low-cost, in situ, detection of different pathogens, as the proposed methodology can be extrapolated to different microorganisms. A very low limit of detection (10 cfu/25 g) was obtained. Furthermore, the evaluation of spiked food samples (chicken, turkey, egg products), completely matched the expected results, as denoted by the index kappa of concordance (value of 1.00). The results obtained for the relative sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were of 100% as well as the positive and negative predictive values.
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- 2017
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19. Detection of foodborne pathogens by qPCR: A practical approach for food industry applications
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María-José Chapela, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, and Ana G. Cabado
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PCR ,qPCR ,pathogen ,detection ,industry ,Agriculture ,Food processing and manufacture ,TP368-456 - Abstract
Microbiological analysis of food is an integrated part of microbial safety management in the food chain. Monitoring and controlling foodborne pathogens are traditionally carried out by conventional microbiological methods based on culture-dependent approaches in control laboratories and private companies. However, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has revolutionized microbiological analysis allowing detection of pathogenic microorganisms in food, without the necessity of classical isolation and identification. However, at present, PCR and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) are essential analytical tools for researchers working in the field of foodborne pathogens. This manuscript reviews recently described qPCR methods applied for foodborne bacteria detection, serving as economical, safe, and reliable alternatives for application in the food industry and control laboratories. Multiplex qPCR, which allows the simultaneous detection of more than one pathogen in one single reaction, saving considerable effort, time, and money, is emphasized in the article.
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- 2015
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20. A novel portable label-free electrochemical immunosensor for ultrasensitive detection of Aeromonas salmonicida in aquaculture seawater
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Najib Ben Messaoud, Marília Barreiros dos Santos, Ana Vieira, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Begoña Espiña, and Raquel B. Queirós
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Immunoassay ,Limit of Detection ,Animals ,Seawater ,Aeromonas salmonicida ,Aquaculture ,Biosensing Techniques ,Electrochemical Techniques ,Gold ,Electrodes ,Biochemistry ,Analytical Chemistry - Abstract
Infectious diseases caused by Aeromonas salmonicida (A. salmonicida) have a huge impact and produce significant losses in aquaculture and fish farming. Fish pathogen early detection is a critical step for the rapid identification and prevention of these problems. This work presents a novel portable label-free ultrasensitive electrochemical immunosensor for A. salmonicida detection in seawater. It consists of a fluidic integrated electrochemical-cell-chip (ECC) with independent chambers enclosing three electrochemical cells (ECs). Anti-A. salmonicida (AbSalm) antibodies were covalently attached to the gold surface of the microfabricated electrodes and were used for the sensitive detection of A. salmonicida. The antibody-antigen immunoreaction was studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the surface functionalization was characterized by using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The performance of the developed immunosensor, in terms of sensitivity, repeatability, and specificity, was also studied. The linear working range varied between 1 and 10
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- 2022
21. Evaluation of Covalent Organic Frameworks for the low-cost, rapid detection of Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli in ready-to-eat salads
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Ana Costa-Ribeiro, Sarah Azinheiro, Soraia P.S. Fernandes, Alexandre Lamas, Marta Prado, Laura M. Salonen, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
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Covalent Organic Frameworks ,Multiplex qPCR ,Environmental Chemistry ,Same-day detection ,Shiga Toxin-producing Escherichia coli ,Rapid methods ,Biochemistry ,Spectroscopy ,Ready-to-eat salad ,Analytical Chemistry - Abstract
Background: Ready-to-eat products, such as leafy greens, must be carefully controlled as they are directly consumed without any treatment to reduce the presence of potential pathogens. Food industries, especially those that process products with short shelf-life, demand rapid detection of foodborne pathogens such as Shiga Toxinproducing Escherichia coli (STEC). In this sense, molecular methods can fulfill both requirements of turnaround time and consumer safety. The most popular rapid methods are those based on real-time PCR (qPCR) however, vegetables contain inhibitory compounds that may inhibit the amplification reaction thus, there is a need for novel sample preparation protocols. Results: In the current study, a low-cost sample treatment based on sequential filtration steps was developed. This protocol was combined with covalent organic frameworks (COFs), and compared against a chelating resin, to evaluate their performance by multiplex qPCR targeting the major virulence genes of STEC, namely stx1, stx2, and eae, along with the rfbE for the specific identification of serogroup O157 due to its particularly high incidence, and an Internal Amplification Control to assess reaction inhibition. The optimized sample treatment effectively removed vegetable qPCR inhibitory compounds, and it was possible to detect STEC in spiked ready-toeat salad samples in one working day, roughly 5 h, with an LOD50 of 8.7 CFU/25 g with high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. The method was also assessed in samples with cold-stressed bacteria with good results, further demonstrating its applicability. Significance: It was demonstrated for the first time that COFs are suitable for DNA extraction and purification. In addition to this, due to the tunable nature of these materials, it is envisioned that future modifications in terms of pore size or combination with magnetic materials, will allow to further improve their performance. In addition to this, the rapid and low-cost sample treatment protocol developed demonstrated suitable for the rapid screening of STEC vegetable samples. published
- Published
- 2023
22. Rapid Same-Day Detection of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Escherichia coli O157 by Colorimetric LAMP in Dairy Products
- Author
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Sarah Azinheiro, Foteini Roumani, Marta Prado, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
- Subjects
Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality ,Safety Research ,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology ,Food Science ,Analytical Chemistry - Published
- 2022
23. Correction: Development of a Panfungal Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) Method Coupled with Lateral Flow Strips for the Detection of Spoilage Fungi
- Author
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Foteini Roumani, Cristina Rodrigues, Jorge Barros-Velázquez, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, and Marta Prado
- Subjects
Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality ,Safety Research ,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology ,Food Science ,Analytical Chemistry - Published
- 2023
24. Naked‐eye detection strategies coupled with isothermal nucleic acid amplification techniques for the detection of human pathogens
- Author
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Alejandro Garrido-Maestu and Marta Prado Rodríguez
- Subjects
Point-of-Care Testing ,Humans ,Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Food Science - Abstract
Nucleic acid amplification-based techniques have gained acceptance by the scientific, and general, community as reference methodologies for many different applications. Since the development of the gold standard of these techniques, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), back in the 1980s many improvements have been made, and alternative techniques emerged reporting improvements over PCR. Among these, isothermal amplification approaches resulted of particular interest as could overcome the need of specialized equipment to accurately control temperature changes, but it was after year 2000 that these techniques have flourished in a huge number of novel alternatives with many different degrees of complexities and requirements. An added value is their possibility to be combined with many different naked-eye detection strategies, simplifying the resources needed, allowing to reduce cost, and serving as the basis for novel developments of lab-on-chip systems, and miniaturized devices, for point-of-care testing. In this review, we will go over different types of naked-eye detection strategies, combined with isothermal amplification. This will provide the readers up-to-date information for them to select the most appropriate strategies depending on the particular needs and resources for their experimental setup.
- Published
- 2022
25. Interlaboratory validation of a multiplex qPCR method for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in a ready-to-eat seafood product
- Author
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Sarah Azinheiro, Pedro Rodríguez-López, Antonio Lozano-León, Hugo Guedes, Patricia Regal, Carlos M. Franco, Alberto Cepeda, Pilar Teixeira, Luís D.R. Melo, Daniela Silva, Ana Fernández, Márcia Faria, Foteini Roumani, Juan Herrera, Marta Prado, Marta López-Cabo, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Universidade do Minho, INTERREG Atlantic Area, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portugal), and European Commission
- Subjects
Interlaboratory validation ,qPCR ,Science & Technology ,Ready-to-eat ,Fish products ,Alternative methods ,Listeria monocytogenes ,Food Science ,Biotechnology - Abstract
6 pages, 4 tables, 1 figure.-- Under a Creative Commons license, Listeria monocytogenes is a major foodborne pathogen which mainly infects susceptible individuals through the consumption of contaminated foods. To this end, ready-to-eat (RTE) food products are of particular concern as this microorganism is widely distributed, can survive, and even grow, under adverse conditions, and thus must be carefully controlled. In the present study, an interlaboratory ring trial was organized to evaluate an open formula qPCR-based method for the detection of L. monocytogenes. The molecular method was evaluated on a novel RTE seafood product, developed in the framework of a European project, the SEAFOODAGE (EAPA_758/2018). Six laboratories located in Spain and Portugal participated in the study, and the results obtained indicated that this new method presented high diagnostic sensitivity (100%) reaching a low limit of detection (, This work was financially supported by the Seafood Age project, which was co-financed by the Interreg Atlantic Area Program (EAPA_758/2018) though the European Development Fund (ERDF). Mrs. Sarah Azinheiro was financed by a Ph.D. grant from the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (SFRH/BD/140396/2018). Dr. Alejandro Garrido-Maestu and Luís D. R. Melo acknowledge funding from the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia through the Scientific Employment Stimulus Program (2021.02810. CEECIND and 2021.00221. CEECIND, respectively). This study was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit
- Published
- 2023
26. Real-time PCR, and Recombinase Polymerase Amplification combined with SYBR Green I for naked-eye detection, along with Propidium Monoazide (PMA) for the detection of viable patulin-producing fungi in apples and by-products
- Author
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Foteini Roumani, Jorge Barros-Velázquez, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, and Marta Prado
- Subjects
Food Science ,Biotechnology - Published
- 2023
27. Development of a Panfungal Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) Method Coupled with Lateral Flow Strips for the Detection of Spoilage Fungi
- Author
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Foteini Roumani, Cristina Rodrigues, Jorge Barros-Velázquez, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, and Marta Prado
- Subjects
Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality ,Safety Research ,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology ,Food Science ,Analytical Chemistry - Published
- 2022
28. An Evaluation of the Pathogenic Potential, and the Antimicrobial Resistance, of
- Author
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Antonio, Lozano-León, Carlos, García-Omil, Rafael R, Rodríguez-Souto, Alexandre, Lamas, and Alejandro, Garrido-Maestu
- Subjects
antibiotic resistance ,Salmonella spp ,virulence genes ,mussel ,Article - Abstract
Salmonella spp. and antimicrobial resistant microorganisms are two of the most important health issues worldwide. In the present study, strains naturally isolated from mussels harvested in Galicia (one of the main production areas in the world), were genetically characterized attending to the presence of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes. Additionally, the antimicrobial profile was also determined phenotypically. Strains presenting several virulence genes were isolated but lacked all the antimicrobial resistance genes analyzed. The fact that some of these strains presented multidrug resistance, highlighted the possibility of bearing different genes than those analyzed, or resistance based on completely different mechanisms. The current study highlights the importance of constant surveillance in order to improve the safety of foods.
- Published
- 2021
29. Towards on-site detection of gluten-containing cereals with a portable and miniaturized prototype combining isothermal DNA amplification and naked eye detection
- Author
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Joana Carvalho, Andrey Ipatov, Laura Rodriguez-Lorenzo, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Sarah Azinheiro, Begoña Espiña, Jorge Barros-Velázquez, and Marta Prado
- Subjects
Spectroscopy ,Analytical Chemistry - Published
- 2022
30. Suitability of the MinION long read sequencer for semi-targeted detection of foodborne pathogens
- Author
-
Sarah Azinheiro, Joana Carvalho, Marta Prado, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, and Foteini Roumani
- Subjects
Chemistry ,Library preparation ,Computational biology ,medicine.disease_cause ,Escherichia coli O157 ,Biochemistry ,DNA extraction ,Listeria monocytogenes ,Sensitivity and Specificity ,DNA sequencing ,Analytical Chemistry ,Salmonella enteritidis ,Minion ,medicine ,Food Microbiology ,Environmental Chemistry ,Lower cost ,Targeted detection ,Spectroscopy - Abstract
Foodborne pathogens are still a significant source of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In addition to this the current methodologies to track these microorganisms cannot cope with the current intensive production systems, thus novel methods are of outmost importance. DNA-based methods have already demonstrated suitable to address this issue, but most of them are targeted methods such as real-time PCR (qPCR), meaning that one will only find what is looking for, thus taking the risk of missing relevant pathogens in a given sample. To overcome this limitation we have developed an easy-to-implement methodology which enables the detection of several pathogens simultaneously by using long-read Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) with MinION. The method was named “semi-targeted” due to the combination of a non-targeted detection method, NGS, with the usage of selective media in order to partially eliminate non-pathogenic interfering bacteria. To this end, we included an enrichment step for the recovery of different pathogens, namely Salmonella Enteritidis and Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7, after DNA extraction and library preparation, the samples were analyzed with MinION implementing the low-cost Flongle Flow Cells. The methodology was successfully evaluated in spiked milk samples with an excellent agreement with the results obtained by qPCR and culture-based methods. The method can provide accurate results after only 2 h of sequencing. Sample multiplexing, along with the lower cost of the Flongle Flow Cells and the reduced price of the MinION platform, make the assay cost-effective that is of importance for the food industry. Starting the method with a classical microbiological approach, the enrichment, the method is easy to implement in testing laboratories, it provides flexibility in terms of potential pathogens to be detected, and the positive results can be easily confirmed following culture-based, or other type, of confirmation procedures.
- Published
- 2021
31. Amplification-free SERS analysis of DNA mutation in cancer cells with single-base sensitivity
- Author
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Lei Wu, Marta Prado, Lorena Diéguez, Sara Abalde-Cela, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Joana Rafaela Lara Guerreiro, and Sandra Carvalho
- Subjects
Silver ,Microfluidics ,Metal Nanoparticles ,02 engineering and technology ,Spectrum Analysis, Raman ,010402 general chemistry ,medicine.disease_cause ,01 natural sciences ,Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Molecular beacon ,Cell Line, Tumor ,Lab-On-A-Chip Devices ,medicine ,Humans ,General Materials Science ,Mutation ,Chemistry ,Point mutation ,DNA ,Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,0104 chemical sciences ,Cancer cell ,Nucleic acid ,Biophysics ,Gold ,0210 nano-technology - Abstract
Accurate and sensitive identification of DNA mutations in tumor cells is critical to the diagnosis, prognosis and personalized therapy of cancer. Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods are limited by the complicated amplification process. Herein, an amplification-free surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) approach which directly detects point mutations in cancer cells has been proposed. A highly sensitive and uniform SERS substrate was fabricated using gold@silver core-shell nanorods, achieving an enhancement factor of 1.85 × 106. By combining the SERS-active nanosubstrate with molecular beacon probes, the limit of detection reached as low as 50 fM. To enable parallel analysis and automated operation, the SERS sensor was integrated into a microfluidic chip. This novel chip-based assay was able to differentiate between mutated and wild-type KRAS genes among a variety of other nucleic acids from cancer cells in 40 min. Owing to the simple operation and fast analysis, the SERS-based DNA assay chip could potentially provide insights into clinical cancer theranostics in an easy and inexpensive manner at the point of care.
- Published
- 2019
32. Development and evaluation of a real-time fluorescence, and naked-eye colorimetric, loop-mediated isothermal amplification-based method for the rapid detection of spoilage fungi in fruit preparations
- Author
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Foteini Roumani, Saioa Gómez, Cristina Rodrigues, Jorge Barros-Velázquez, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, and Marta Prado
- Subjects
Food Science ,Biotechnology - Published
- 2022
33. Data on minute DNA quantification on microvolumetric solutions: comparison of mathematical models and effect of some compounds on the DNA quantification accuracy
- Author
-
Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Jorge Barros-Velázquez, Renato Negrinho, Joana Carvalho, Marta Prado, and Sarah Azinheiro
- Subjects
Multidisciplinary ,Mathematical model ,Computer science ,010401 analytical chemistry ,Microfluidics ,Sperm dna ,02 engineering and technology ,Repeatability ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,lcsh:Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics ,01 natural sciences ,DNA extraction ,0104 chemical sciences ,Chemistry ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,chemistry ,DNA fragmentation ,lcsh:R858-859.7 ,Research article ,0210 nano-technology ,Biological system ,lcsh:Science (General) ,DNA ,lcsh:Q1-390 - Abstract
This article contains data related to the research article entitled “Novel approach for accurate minute DNA quantification on microvolumetric solutions” (Carvalho et al., 2018). The combination of PicoGreen® with a microvolume fluorospectrometer is a popular DNA quantification method due to its high sensitivity and minimal consumption of sample, being commonly used to evaluate the performance of microfluidic devices designed for DNA purification. In this study, the authors present data related with the effect of DNA fragmentation level. The present data article includes the data used on the precision evaluation, in terms of repeatability, of the mathematical models developed to obtain the standards curve for salmon sperm DNA (low molecular weight). In addition, results related with the effect of some compounds on the DNA quantification accuracy using λDNA are presented.
- Published
- 2018
34. Development of a multiplex real-time PCR method for early diagnosis of three bacterial diseases in fish: A real-case study in trout aquaculture
- Author
-
Celia Varela, Luz Arregui, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Martiña Ferreira, and María-José Chapela
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Bacterial disease ,biology ,business.industry ,animal diseases ,030106 microbiology ,Flavobacterium psychrophilum ,Aquatic Science ,biology.organism_classification ,Microbiology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Trout ,Aquaculture ,Lactococcus garvieae ,Multiplex ,Rainbow trout ,Yersinia ruckeri ,business - Abstract
Lactococcus garvieae, Yersinia ruckeri and Flavobacterium psychrophilum are three of the most important pathogens in worldwide rainbow trout aquaculture (Oncorrhynchus mykiss Walbaum). In this work, a multiplex quantitative PCR (qPCR) method for the simultaneous detection of the three pathogens was developed and tested in a commercial trout farm. Fifty-four spleen and brain samples from a trout farm were analyzed using both multiplex qPCR and classic microbiological methods. When comparing qPCR results and classic plate diagnostic techniques no negative deviations were observed, which resulted in a 100% relative sensitivity of the multiplex qPCR method developed. In addition, efficiency of the qPCR method ranged between 97.5% and 108.8%. The specificity of the combination of primers and probes was successfully tested in 57 target and non-target bacterial strains Hence, the multiplex qPCR method developed in the present study could be used as a reliable diagnostic tool for the detection of L. garvieae, Y. ruckeri and F. psychrophilum in rainbow trout farms, enabling faster diagnostics (only a few hours) and contributing to a quick response and management of bacterial disease outbreaks.
- Published
- 2018
35. Evaluation of simple sequence repeats (SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based methods in olive varieties from the Northwest of Spain and potential for miniaturization
- Author
-
Shambhavi Yadav, Sarah Azinheiro, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Jorge Barros-Velázquez, Isabel Trujillo, Joana Carvalho, and Marta Prado
- Subjects
Miniaturization ,Traceability ,Nutrition. Foods and food supply ,Computer science ,Allele-specific qPCR ,Single-nucleotide polymorphism ,Single nucleotide polymorphisms ,Computational biology ,High Resolution Melt ,Simple sequence repeats ,Microsatellite ,SNP ,TX341-641 ,Cultivated olive ,Genotyping ,HRM ,Olive oil - Abstract
Miniaturization of DNA-based techniques can bring interesting advantages for food analysis, such as portability of complex analytical procedures. In the olive oil industry, miniaturization can be particularly interesting for authenticity and traceability applications, through in situ control of raw materials before production and/or the final products. However, variety identification is challenging, and implementation on miniaturized settings must be carefully evaluated, starting from the selected analytical approach. In this work, SSR- and SNP-based genotyping strategies were investigated for the identification and differentiation of two olive varieties from the Northwest of Spain. For the selected SNPs two genotyping methods were tested: real-time allele-specific PCR and high resolution melting analysis. These methods were compared and evaluated regarding their potential for integration in a microfluidic device. Both SNP-based methods proved to be successful for identification of the selected varieties, however real-time allele-specific PCR was the one that achieved the best results when analyzing mixtures, allowing the identification of both monovarietal samples and mixtures of the varieties tested with up to 25%.
- Published
- 2020
36. Green synthesis of lignin nano- and micro-particles: Physicochemical characterization, bioactive properties and cytotoxicity assessment
- Author
-
Michele Michelin, Lorenzo Pastrana, António A. Vicente, Catarina Gonçalves, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, José A. Teixeira, Miguel A. Cerqueira, Filipa M.C. Freitas, Sarah Azinheiro, and Universidade do Minho
- Subjects
Antioxidant ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Chemical structure ,Microplastics ,Cytotoxicity ,Dispersity ,Organosolv ,Nanoparticle ,Antineoplastic Agents ,02 engineering and technology ,Biochemistry ,Lignin ,Antioxidants ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Dynamic light scattering ,Structural Biology ,medicine ,Escherichia coli ,Humans ,Nanotechnology ,Molecular Biology ,030304 developmental biology ,Cell Proliferation ,0303 health sciences ,Science & Technology ,Ethanol ,Chemistry ,technology, industry, and agriculture ,Salmonella enterica ,Water ,Green Chemistry Technology ,General Medicine ,Biodegradation ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Anti-Bacterial Agents ,Chemical engineering ,Nanoparticles ,Biocompatibility ,Caco-2 Cells ,0210 nano-technology ,Lignocellulose - Abstract
Lignin particles (LPs) have gained prominence due to their biodegradability and bioactive properties. LP production at nano and micro scale produced from organosolv lignin and the understanding of size's effect on their properties is unexplored. This work aimed to produce and characterize lignin nanoparticles and microparticles using a green synthesis process, based on ethanol-solubilized lignin and water. Spherical shape LPs, with a mean size of 75 nm and 215 nm and with a low polydispersity were produced, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. LPs thermal stability improved over raw lignin, and the chemical structure of lignin was not affected by the production method. The antimicrobial tests proved that LPs presented a bacteriostatic effect on Escherichiacoli and Salmonella enterica. Regarding the antioxidant potential, LPs had a good antioxidant activity that increased with the reaction time and LPs concentration. LPs also presented an antioxidant effect against intracellular ROS, reducing the intracellular ROS levels significantly. Furthermore, the LPs showed a low cytotoxic effect in Caco-2 cell line. These results showed that LPs at different scales (nano and micro) present biological properties and are safe to be used in different high value industrial sectors, such as biomedical, pharmaceutical and food., This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2020 unit, BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte, and MICRODIGEST project (grant agreement 037716) co-funded by FCT and ERDF through COMPETE2020., info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
- Published
- 2020
37. Next-day detection of viable Listeria monocytogenes by multiplex reverse transcriptase real-time PCR
- Author
-
Sarah Azinheiro, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Joana Carvalho, Marta Prado, and Dipak Ghimire
- Subjects
Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease_cause ,food.food ,Reverse transcriptase ,Smoked salmon ,food ,Real-time polymerase chain reaction ,Listeria monocytogenes ,Positive predicative value ,medicine ,Multiplex ,Food science ,Reference standards ,Bacteria ,Food Science ,Biotechnology - Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes continues to be a major challenge for the food industry due to its ubiquity and difficulty to be eliminated from processing facilities. The DNA amplification-based methods can overcome limitations of culture-based methods; however, due to the stability of the DNA, false positive results may occur, associated to the presence of harmless, dead microorganisms. The incorrect assessment of the results will have a huge impact on the producers in terms of stopping the production/distribution, leading to economic losses. In the current study, a multiplex RT-qPCR method was developed. The detection of mRNA allows for the specific detection of live bacteria. Additionally, two genetic targets (hly and actA) were co-amplified for improved specificity, along with an Internal Amplification Control to rule out false negative results due to reaction inhibition. The optimized methodology was evaluated in smoked salmon samples inoculated with different combinations and concentrations of live and dead bacteria. The method demonstrated high sensitivity (LOD50/LOD95 of 1.2/5.1 cfu/25 g). The performance of the method was compared against the reference standard ISO 11290, for which a Cohen's k of 0.94 was obtained, being interpreted as “almost complete concordance” among both methods. In addition, other parameters evaluated included the relative sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, as well as the positive and negative predictive values, all being above 90%. This next-day methodology can significantly reduce the time of analysis of culture-based methods and can specifically detect live L. monocytogenes.
- Published
- 2022
38. Combination of Recombinase Polymerase Amplification with SYBR Green I for naked-eye, same-day detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in ground meat
- Author
-
Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Laura Rodriguez-Lorenzo, Joana Carvalho, Marta Prado, Foteini Roumani, and Sarah Azinheiro
- Subjects
Detection limit ,Serotype ,Chemistry ,Loop-mediated isothermal amplification ,Recombinase Polymerase Amplification ,medicine.disease_cause ,DNA extraction ,Molecular biology ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,SYBR Green I ,medicine ,Escherichia coli ,Pathogen ,Food Science ,Biotechnology - Abstract
Escherichia coli O157 continues to be the most prevalent serotype among the Shiga toxin-producing E. coli infection cases confirmed in Europe. The reference methodology to detect this pathogen is lengthy and time consuming, thus we sought to develop a novel method that has low instrumentation requirement, and allowed naked-eye detection. Isothermal amplification of bacterial DNA was performed by Recombinase Polymerase Amplification, and the addition of SYBR Green I (RPA-SG), which allowed the visualization of results with naked-eye under a UV lamp. The results obtained in spiked ground meat samples by RPA-SG compared favorably to qPCR (relative sensitivity, specificity and accuracy higher than 90%, and Cohen's k of 0.81), with a limit of detection of 19 cfu/25 g. The novel methodology outperformed a culture-based approach, where none of the typical colonies were confirmed as O157 due to high concentration of interfering microorganisms. These results were obtained in one working day (same-day detection), having an average time to completion of about 5 h, including enrichment, DNA extraction, amplification and detection.
- Published
- 2022
39. Single-use microfluidic device for purification and concentration of environmental DNA from river water
- Author
-
Joana Carvalho, Marta Prado, Joana Rafaela Lara Guerreiro, Andrey Ipatov, Lorena Diéguez, Sarah Azinheiro, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
- Subjects
Analyte ,Chromatography ,Chemistry ,Elution ,010401 analytical chemistry ,Microfluidics ,Water ,Fresh Water ,02 engineering and technology ,DNA ,Contamination ,Microfluidic Analytical Techniques ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,01 natural sciences ,DNA extraction ,DNA, Environmental ,0104 chemical sciences ,Analytical Chemistry ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Lab-On-A-Chip Devices ,DNA fragmentation ,Environmental DNA ,0210 nano-technology - Abstract
Purification and concentration of DNA is a critical step on DNA-based analysis, which should ensure efficient DNA isolation and effective removal of contaminants that may interfere with downstream DNA amplification. Complexity of samples, minute content of target analyte, or high DNA fragmentation greatly entangles the success of this step. To overcome this issue, we designed and fabricated a novel miniaturized disposable device for a highly efficient DNA purification. The microfluidic device showed binding efficiency and elution yield of 90.1% and 86.7%, respectively. Moreover, the effect of DNA fragmentation, a parameter that has not been previously addressed, showed a great impact in the recovery step. The microfluidic system integrated micropillars with chitosan being used as the solid-phase for a pH-dependent DNA capture and release. We have showed the potential of the device in the successful purification of environmental DNA (eDNA) from river water samples contaminated with Dreissena polymorpha, an invasive alien species responsible for unquestionable economic and environmental consequences in river water basins. Additionally, the device was also able to concentrate the DNA extract from highly diluted samples, showing promising results for the early detection of such invasive species, which may allow prompt measures for a more efficient control in affected areas. Suitability for integration with downstream DNA analysis was also demonstrated through qPCR analysis of the samples purified with the microfluidic device, allowing detection of the target species even if highly diluted.
- Published
- 2020
40. Application of Recombinase Polymerase Amplification with Lateral Flow for a Naked-Eye Detection of Listeria monocytogenes on Food Processing Surfaces
- Author
-
Joana Carvalho, Marta Prado, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, and Sarah Azinheiro
- Subjects
L. monocytogenes ,Health (social science) ,Food industry ,Recombinase Polymerase Amplification ,Plant Science ,medicine.disease_cause ,lcsh:Chemical technology ,01 natural sciences ,Health Professions (miscellaneous) ,Microbiology ,Article ,0404 agricultural biotechnology ,Listeria monocytogenes ,medicine ,food processing ,lcsh:TP1-1185 ,Food science ,Food contact ,biology ,business.industry ,Chemistry ,010401 analytical chemistry ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Contamination ,biology.organism_classification ,040401 food science ,surface analysis ,0104 chemical sciences ,lateral flow ,Food processing ,Naked eye ,business ,Bacteria ,RPA ,Food Science - Abstract
The continuous contamination of foods with L. monocytogenes, highlights the need for additional controls in the food industry. The verification of food processing plants is key to avoid cross-contaminations, and to assure the safety of the food products. In this study, a new methodology for the detection of L. monocytogenes on food contact surfaces was developed and evaluated. It combines Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) with the lateral flow (LF) naked-eye detection. Different approaches for the recovery of the bacteria from the surface, the enrichment step and downstream analysis by RPA-LF were tested and optimized. The results were compared with a standard culture-based technique and qPCR analysis. Sampling procedure with sponges was more efficient for the recovery of the bacteria than a regular swab. A 24 h enrichment in ONE broth was needed for the most sensitive detection of the pathogen. By RPA-LF, it was possible to detect 1.1 pg/µ, L of pure L. monocytogenes DNA, and the complete methodology reached a LoD50 of 4.2 CFU/cm2 and LoD95 of 18.2 CFU/cm2. These results are comparable with the culture-based methodology and qPCR. The developed approach allows for a next-day detection without complex equipment and a naked-eye visualization of the results.
- Published
- 2020
41. Evaluation and implementation of commercial antibodies for improved nanoparticle-based immunomagnetic separation and real-time PCR for faster detection of Listeria monocytogenes
- Author
-
Joana Carvalho, Marta Prado, Sarah Azinheiro, Begoña Espiña, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Detection limit ,Chromatography ,Chemistry ,030106 microbiology ,010401 analytical chemistry ,Nanoparticle ,Immunomagnetic separation ,medicine.disease_cause ,01 natural sciences ,0104 chemical sciences ,Highly sensitive ,03 medical and health sciences ,Real-time polymerase chain reaction ,Listeria monocytogenes ,Positive predicative value ,medicine ,Sample preparation ,Original Article ,Food Science - Abstract
L. monocytogenes continues to be a major health issue in Europe, as well as worldwide. Faster methods, not only for detection, but also for sample preparation are of great interest particularly for this slow-growing pathogen. Immunomagnetic separation has been previously reported to be an effective way to concentrate bacteria, and remove inhibitors. In the present study, different commercial antibodies were evaluated to select the most appropriate one, in order to develop a highly specific method. Additionally, magnetic nanoparticles, instead of microparticles, were selected due to their reported advantages (higher surface-volume ration and faster kinetics). Finally, the separation protocol, with a calculated capture efficiency of 95%, was combined with real-time PCR for highly sensitive detection of the concentrated bacteria. The optimized IMS-qPCR allowed to reduce hands-on time in the sample treatment, without affecting the overall performance of the method as a very low limit of detection was still obtained (9.7 CFU/ 25 g) with values for sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values of 100%, resulting in a kappa index of concordance of 1.00. These results were obtained in spiked food samples of different types (chicken, fish, milk, hard and fresh cheese), further demonstrating the applicability of the optimized methodology presented.
- Published
- 2020
42. Short pre-enrichment and modified matrix lysis. A comparative study towards same-day detection of Listeria monocytogenes
- Author
-
Sarah Azinheiro, Joana Carvalho, Pablo Fuciños, Lorenzo Pastrana, Marta Prado, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
- Subjects
Food Science - Published
- 2022
43. Active bi-layer cellulose-based films: development and characterization
- Author
-
Pablo Fuciños, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Miguel A. Cerqueira, Joana M. R. Curto, Vasco D. F. Martins, and Lorenzo Pastrana
- Subjects
Materials science ,Polymers and Plastics ,Scanning electron microscope ,02 engineering and technology ,010402 general chemistry ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,01 natural sciences ,Casting ,Electrospinning ,0104 chemical sciences ,Contact angle ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Chemical engineering ,chemistry ,Ethyl cellulose ,Cellulose ,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy ,0210 nano-technology ,Porosity - Abstract
This work aims at the development and characterisation of bio-based active bi-layer films by solvent casting and electrospinning in order to be used for setting up active packaging solutions. Ethyl cellulose was used as the main material for the production of a layer on microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) films. This layer was formed with and without the incorporation of cinnamaldehyde (CNMA) which was used as antimicrobial compound. The MFC structures were obtained with a combination of different fibre dimensions and degree of fibrillation resulting in 16 different structures with porosities varying from 33 to 63%. A computational 3D simulation study of the porous structures was performed providing information about thickness, porosity and pore size uniformity and based on that a Picea abies-based MFC structure was selected. Structure characterization was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, and pore dimensions were quantified using an image analysis tool. The bi-layer films chemical properties were studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Regarding barrier properties the bi-layer films produced by solvent casting were the ones showing a better barrier capacity. Both solvent casting and electrospinning processing showed to be useful to obtain a more hydrophobic surface (evaluated through contact angle measurements), being the higher values obtained for bi-layer films produced by electrospinning. Regarding colour parameters, the bi-layer films showed to be highly influenced by the production method and by the incorporation of CNMA. Regarding the antimicrobial activity, the bi-layer films with the incorporation of CNMA showed high antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Typhimurium when the solvent casting method was used. Overall results showed that MFC-based films can be functionalised through the casting or electrospinning of ethyl cellulose solutions, aiming an antimicrobial and hydrophobic bi-layer film based on cellulose.
- Published
- 2018
44. Novel approach for accurate minute DNA quantification on microvolumetric solutions
- Author
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Sarah Azinheiro, Jorge Barros-Velázquez, Renato Negrinho, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Joana Carvalho, and Marta Prado
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Computer science ,Sample (material) ,010401 analytical chemistry ,Microfluidics ,Sperm dna ,01 natural sciences ,DNA extraction ,0104 chemical sciences ,Analytical Chemistry ,Highly sensitive ,Standard curve ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,Fragmentation (cell biology) ,Biological system ,Spectroscopy ,DNA - Abstract
The optimization and evaluation of the performance of microfluidic devices for DNA purification requires the use of a reliable DNA quantification method. The samples collected from these devices usually have small volumes and, in the case of food, forensic and environmental applications, these samples are also complex, frequently containing highly fragmented DNA and minute concentrations. Therefore, combining a PicoGreen® assay with a microvolume fluorospectrometer is a popular technique for DNA quantification, providing highly sensitive quantification with minimal consumption of sample. However, this method has limitations, such as being affected by the degree of fragmentation of DNA and by the presence of some compounds commonly used in DNA extraction and purification protocols. In this work, these limitations and their influence on the accuracy of the quantification method were evaluated. Low molecular weight salmon sperm DNA was selected, being less purified and more fragmented than the λDNA standard most frequently used. It was shown that the standard curves generated with λDNA were not suitable for the quantification of fragmented DNA, such as DNA from highly processed samples and/or samples that have been exposed to harsh environments. In addition, a mathematical model was developed to find a better adjustment for the standard curve, for the salmon sperm DNA samples. This approach can be used as a tool to overcome important limitations found in this quantification method, allowing to include more data in the standard curve or test different mathematical models to better fit the standards data.
- Published
- 2018
45. Development and evaluation of loop-mediated isothermal amplification, and Recombinase Polymerase Amplification methodologies, for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food samples
- Author
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Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Joana Carvalho, Marta Prado, Sarah Azinheiro, and Pablo Fuciños
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Detection limit ,food.ingredient ,030106 microbiology ,Loop-mediated isothermal amplification ,Recombinase Polymerase Amplification ,Biology ,Dna amplification ,medicine.disease_cause ,Molecular biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,food ,Listeria monocytogenes ,medicine ,Ready to eat food ,Agar ,Food Science ,Biotechnology ,Bacterial dna - Abstract
Listeriosis continues to be a major health issue. This is demonstrated by the fact that, even though efforts have been made, its incidence does not decrease. Furthermore, in Europe, over 2014 a 30% increase was reported respect to 2013. In the present study two isothermal DNA amplification methods, one based on Loop-mediated isothermal AMPlification (qLAMP), and the other on Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA), were developed and extensively evaluated. Both techniques demonstrated their reliability to detect Listeria monocytogenes in different types of foods. The method included a two-step enrichment, which additionally reduces the chances of detecting dead bacteria. Over the evaluation with pure bacterial DNA, the qLAMP and RPA methods resulted 10 to 100 times less sensitive than qPCR (with two different detection chemistries), but when tested in real food samples the results showed very good concordance with those obtained by qPCR and by selective agar plating (index kappa of concordance between 0.90 and 0.95). Additionally, a very low limit of detection (below 10 CFU/25 g) was obtained. Thus the optimal performance of both isothermal techniques, and their adequacy for their implementation in the food industry, was demonstrated.
- Published
- 2018
46. Comprehensive in vitro and in vivo risk assessments of chitosan microparticles using human epithelial cells and Caenorhabditis elegans
- Author
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KwangCheol Casey Jeong, Yeonhwa Park, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, Jung-Whan Chon, Choonghee Lee, Yiren Yue, Zhengxin Ma, Daehee Jeong, and Kidon Sung
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Environmental Engineering ,Cell Survival ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,02 engineering and technology ,Mitochondrion ,Risk Assessment ,Chitosan ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,In vivo ,health services administration ,Escherichia coli ,Animals ,Humans ,Environmental Chemistry ,Caenorhabditis elegans ,Waste Management and Disposal ,health care economics and organizations ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,Reactive oxygen species ,biology ,business.industry ,Cell Membrane ,Epithelial Cells ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,biology.organism_classification ,Antimicrobial ,Pollution ,In vitro ,Mitochondria ,Biotechnology ,Cell biology ,HEK293 Cells ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,Toxicity ,Caco-2 Cells ,Reactive Oxygen Species ,0210 nano-technology ,business - Abstract
The safety of using nano- and microparticles is a developing concern. In this study, we conducted risk assessments of chitosan microparticles (CMs) using in vitro human epithelial cell lines and in vivo animal model, Caenorhabditis elegans. After engineering of various CMs, we screened four CMs based on antimicrobial activity, which is a potential usage for disease treatment caused by multidrug resistant bacteria, and evaluated for risk assessments. CMs, with strong antimicrobial activity, and inorganic nanoparticles (SiO2, TiO2, and ZnO) did not cause toxicity in human cells measured by cell membrane integrity, mitochondria activity, and reactive oxygen species concentration. However, when applied to C. elegans, only CMs generated with low molecular weight chitosan and tripolyphosphate at 0.1% did not affect the lifespan, while the other CMs and inorganic nanoparticles shortened the lifespan, suggesting that they may cause subtle toxicity. These results suggest that C. elegans could be a sensitive animal model to measure low level of toxicity of nano- and microparticles. Taken together, although CMs do not cause toxicity at working concentrations of antimicrobial activity in human epithelial cells, they may cause toxicity at high concentration, suggesting that nano- and microparicles should be thoroughly investigated before they are applied.
- Published
- 2018
47. Application of real-time PCR for early diagnosis of diseases caused by Aeromonas salmonicida, Vibrio anguillarum, and Tenacibaculum maritimum in turbot: A field study
- Author
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Martiña Ferreira, Jacobo Fernández-Casal, Asela Ruiz-Cruz, Alejandro Garrido-Maestu, María-José Chapela, and Iris Martin-Varela
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Vibrio anguillarum ,Ecology ,biology ,business.industry ,030106 microbiology ,Aquatic Science ,biology.organism_classification ,DNA extraction ,Microbiology ,Turbot ,03 medical and health sciences ,Aeromonas salmonicida ,030104 developmental biology ,Real-time polymerase chain reaction ,Aquaculture ,Tenacibaculum maritimum ,Multiplex ,business - Abstract
In the present study a multiplex real-time PCR method was developed for early detection of diseased fish infected by Aeromonas salmonicida, Vibrio anguillarum, and/or Tenacibaculum maritimum. The method consisted of the detection of three species-specific genes after DNA extraction with a commercial kit. Three types of samples were tested, and the results were compared with those of traditional diagnosis. The method obtained a limit of detection of 104 cfu/mL (2 x 102 cfu/tube). Additionally, 27 samples from fish showing signs of disease were correctly diagnosed by the developed methodology, demonstrating its suitability for implementation in aquaculture.
- Published
- 2017
48. Detection, molecular characterization, and antimicrobial susceptibility, of Campylobacter spp. isolated from shellfish
- Author
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Jose Iglesias-Canle, Rafael R. Rodríguez-Souto, Ana Álvarez-Castro, Antonio Lozano-Leon, Narjol Gonzalez-Escalona, Jose Llovo-Taboada, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Microbiology (medical) ,biology ,Epidemiology ,Campylobacter ,030106 microbiology ,0208 environmental biotechnology ,Zoonosis ,Campylobacteriosis ,Lari ,Virulence ,02 engineering and technology ,Antimicrobial ,medicine.disease_cause ,medicine.disease ,biology.organism_classification ,020801 environmental engineering ,Microbiology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Infectious Diseases ,Antibiotic resistance ,medicine ,Shellfish - Abstract
Campylobacteriosis is one of the most important reported zoonosis worldwide. Besides poultry other sources of infection have been described. In the current study, the incidence of Campylobacter spp. was assessed over a five-month period in mussel samples harvested from one of the most important producing areas (Galicia, NW Spain) in Europe. Out of 91 samples screened, 8% were positive and identified as C. lari by MALDI-TOF and whole genome sequencing. All were detected during the colder months (February and March). The antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes analysis indicated that all were multi-resistant to at least 4 antimicrobials. They were negative for the presence of 5 virulence-related genes. This is the first report of this zoonotic pathogen in mussels from one of the most important shellfish producing regions in Europe. The genomes of these 7 C. lari isolates were released to the genome public database at NCBI.
- Published
- 2021
49. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with immunomagnetic separation and propidium monoazide for the specific detection of viable Listeria monocytogenes in milk products, with an internal amplification control
- Author
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Sarah Azinheiro, Joana Carvalho, Foteini Roumani, Marta Prado, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
- Subjects
Chromatography ,Chemistry ,010401 analytical chemistry ,Loop-mediated isothermal amplification ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Immunomagnetic separation ,medicine.disease_cause ,040401 food science ,01 natural sciences ,Melting curve analysis ,0104 chemical sciences ,0404 agricultural biotechnology ,Listeria monocytogenes ,Propidium monoazide ,Nucleic acid ,medicine ,Food microbiology ,Multiplex ,Food Science ,Biotechnology - Abstract
Nowadays, the most widely accepted rapid methods in food microbiology rely on nucleic acid amplification such as PCR/real-time PCR. A major claimed limitation of these methods is their incapacity to differentiate among viable and non-viable microorganisms. In the present study we report the development of a novel multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification method which, by combining immunomagnetic separation, to concentrate and purify the bacteria, along with propidium monoazide to block the amplification of DNA from non-viable microorganisms. The method allowed to specifically detect viable Listeria monocytogenes present in milk products. We designed an internal amplification control to rule out false negative results due to reaction inhibition, which is differentiated from L. monocytogenes by a simple melt curve analysis. Overall, the methodology provided results higher than 95% in terms of sensitivity, specificity and accuracy, as well as a Cohen's k of 0.97, reaching a limit of detection of 2.7 cfu/25 g. In samples inoculated with up to 106-107 cfu of dead microorganisms, the method demonstrated capable of effectively eliminating undesired amplification.
- Published
- 2021
50. Optimization and Clinical Evaluation of a Multi-Target Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assay for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Nasopharyngeal Samples
- Author
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Tatiana Varandas, Mafalda Timóteo, Sarah Azinheiro, Inês Baldaque, Joana Carvalho, Ana E. Sousa, Marta Prado, Daniela Fonseca-Silva, Hugo Sousa, Foteini Roumani, and Alejandro Garrido-Maestu
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,clinical evaluation ,ORF3a ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,Concordance ,030106 microbiology ,Loop-mediated isothermal amplification ,Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ,medicine.disease_cause ,Microbiology ,Sensitivity and Specificity ,Article ,Viral Proteins ,03 medical and health sciences ,COVID-19 Testing ,Nasopharynx ,Virology ,Humans ,Medicine ,RT-LAMP ,Coronavirus ,SARS-CoV-2 ,business.industry ,COVID-19 ,ORF8 ,Gold standard (test) ,Viral Load ,QR1-502 ,030104 developmental biology ,Infectious Diseases ,Molecular Diagnostic Techniques ,N ,RNA, Viral ,business ,Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ,Clinical evaluation ,Viral load - Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19, which has spread worldwide, affecting more than 200 countries, infecting over 140 million people in one year. The gold standard to identify infected people is RT-qPCR, which is highly sensitive, but needs specialized equipment and trained personnel. The demand for these reagents has caused shortages in certain countries. Isothermal nucleic acid techniques, such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) have emerged as an alternative or as a complement to RT-qPCR. In this study, we developed and evaluated a multi-target RT-LAMP for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The method was evaluated against an RT-qPCR in 152 clinical nasopharyngeal swab samples. The results obtained indicated that both assays presented a “good concordance” (Cohen’s k of 0.69), the RT-LAMP was highly specific (99%) but had lower sensitivity compared to the gold standard (63.3%). The calculated low sensitivity was associated with samples with very low viral load (RT-qPCR Cq values higher than 35) which may be associated with non-infectious individuals. If an internal Cq threshold below 35 was set, the sensitivity and Cohen’s k increased to 90.9% and 0.92, respectively. The interpretation of the Cohen’s k for this was “very good concordance”. The RT-LAMP is an attractive approach for frequent individual testing in decentralized setups.
- Published
- 2021
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