Nizhny Novgorod scientists distinguish bacteria by nano-motion
Lobachevsky University researchers continue their work to obtain new methods of determining the sensitivity of bacteria to antibiotics. In the course of the latest studies, scientists from the UNN Research Laboratory of Scanning Probe Microscopy discovered that bacterial strains can be distinguished from each other by specific nano-motion, which does not exceed tens of nanometres. The nature of the nano-motion can change depending on the bacteria's nutrient environment and drug exposure. This discovery will make it possible to quickly and accurately determine the sensitivity of bacteria to antimicrobial drugs and predict their effectiveness in treating infections in patients.
Compared to traditional tests, this method of detecting the slightest motions of bacteria using atomic force microscopy enables the assessment of antibiotic susceptibility within an hour.
"We attached the bacteria to the cantilever of the atomic force microscope, controlling the results of the experiment by scanning electron microscopy. Mathematical analysis of the signals obtained helped us to establish patterns of amplitude-frequency distribution and differences in the metabolic behaviour of different bacterial species. This provides insight into the reaction of bacteria to antibiotics," said Professor Svetlana Pleskova, Head of the Research Laboratory of Scanning Probe Microscopy at Lobachevsky University.
The research was supported by the Russian Science Foundation under the project "Piezo-elements for the study of intercellular adhesion mechanisms and development of systems for rapid testing of antibiotic resistance". This project is carried out jointly with the Sarov Institute of Physics and Technology of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI. An article presenting the research was published in the journal Nanotechnology and Precision Engineering. The results were recognised as breakthrough, and the authors were invited to design the cover of the issue. Based on the idea "Life is motion, nano-life is nano-motion", Nikolai Bezrukov and Alexey Boryakov (Lobachevsky University) created the cover of the issue. The article has also become a science highlight (Scilight) according to the major publisher American Institute of Physics (AIP).
Earlier, a team of Nizhny Novgorod scientists from Lobachevsky University and Alekseev Technical University developed an ultrafast way to determine antibiotic susceptibility. It takes less than an hour for a special sensor and a polymer for fixing bacteria on an atomic force microscope to determine the sensitivity of microorganisms to antibiotic treatment.
