Fluorescent Probe Sheds Light on Tuberculosis Bacteria

Article

Scientists have created a fluorescent probe that can tag and illuminate single specimens of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB), one of the world's most problematic infectious diseases. The probe, along with a microfluidic chip that counts TB bacteria, could find applications in fields ranging from diagnosis of TB to assessing the effectiveness of novel therapies.

TB, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is a highly contagious disease that infects the lungs and causes chronic coughs, fever, and weight loss. The disease is a massive burden on health systems worldwide, costing the world over $21 billion a year and being responsible for approximately two million deaths annually. Efforts to rein in the malady have been hindered by the HIV epidemic, the spread of antibiotic resistance and the fact that the most common diagnostic techniques for TB are decades old. The bacteria can develop antibiotic resistance in part due to the presence of an enzyme named BlaC that breaks down the structure of many common antibiotics.

A team led by Yunfeng Cheng exploited this apparent strength by designing a molecule that is activated by BlaC and attaches to another enzyme named DprE1. The probe, named CDG-DNB3, produces a bright green color within one hour after activation by BlaC, allowing for rapid labeling of both single and multiple Mtb bacteria. The authors tested the probe in a weakened variant of TB named BCG and found the probe could distinguish between live bacteria and dead bacteria, as well as between BCG and 43 related nontuberculosis mycobacterial species.

Chang et al. also created a chip using microfluidics technology that accurately counted bacteria within BCG samples labeled with CDG-DNB3 as they passed through a detection window.

Source: American Association for the Advancement of Science

 

Newsletter

Stay prepared and protected with Infection Control Today's newsletter, delivering essential updates, best practices, and expert insights for infection preventionists.

Recent Videos
Bug of the Month
David J. Weber, MD, MPH, president of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America
Brenna Doran PhD, MA, hospital epidemiology and infection prevention for the University of California, San Francisco, and a coach and consultant of infection prevention; Jessica Swain, MBA, MLT, director of infection prevention and control for Dartmouth Health in Lebanon, New Hampshire; and Shanina Knighton, associate professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Nursing and senior nurse scientist at MetroHealth System in Cleveland, Ohio
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.