PNNL

Abstract

An automated, flow-through spore lysis instrument that is capable of rapidly disrupting bacterial spores is described. The system utilizes a flow-through chamber that allows for direct injection of the sample without the need for a chemical or enzymatic pre-treatment step to soften the spore coat prior to lysis. Lysis of Bacillus subtilis spores, a benign simulant of Bacillus anthracis, is achieved by flowing the sample through a tube whose axis is parallel to the faces of two transducers that deliver 10 W cm-2 to the surface of the tube at 1.4 MHz frequency. Increases in amplifiable DNA were assessed by real-time PCR analysis, which showed at least a 25-fold increase in amplifiable DNA following ultrasonic treatment, and dilution-to-extinction PCR, which suggests up to a 100-1000-fold increase. The modular design of the ultrasonic system and integrated fluidics allow it to be incorporated into multi-step sample treatment and detection systems.