Advanced Approach to Simultaneous Monitoring of Multiple Bacteria in Space

A novel microarray-based approach to simultaneous detection, quantitation, and identification of multiple microorganisms found in water and air supplies is presented. The rapid DNA/RNA probe-based approach avoids time consuming cell cultivation procedures by utilizing the inherent amplification property of rRNA combined with highly sensitive proximal CCD detection.

Specifically, optimal DNA probes for simultaneously capturing Escherichia coli and Vibrio proteolyticus were arrayed in a 4 x 4 matrix using a novel microarray printer capable of depositing hundreds of probes within a single well (1cm²) of a conventional 96 well microtiter plate. Following hybridization of a 16S rRNA microorganism mixture to the DNA microarray, detection, imaging, quantitation and identification was performed within seconds employing the complimentary PC-based proximal CCD detector/imager.