A carbohydrate biosensor surface for the detection of uropathogenic bacteria.

We have developed a new surface for use in biosensors that is based on a gold plate covered with a specific carbohydrate receptor structure. The carbohydrate, Gal alpha 1-4Gal, was bound covalently via a thioalkylcarboxy-spacer, or adsorbed as a neoglycoprotein, to a two-dimensional gold surface. Both types of surfaces showed high specificity in the binding of the uropathogenic bacteria P-fimbriated Escherichia coli compared to the binding of non-infectious bacteria. The signal to noise ratio is sufficiently high to allow specific detection of the bacteria in biosensor applications.