Biomedical Engineering ETDs

Travis Woods

Publication Date

11-13-2015

Abstract

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) have been identified by the USDA as a serious threat to the nations health stemming from contaminations in the food supply, specifically, the beef chain. I have developed an assay that is able to screen samples for STEC in a rapid and multiplexed format. Multiplex oligonucleotide ligation-PCR (MOL- PCR) is a nucleic acid based assay patented at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) that uses flow cytometry and multiplex microsphere arrays for detection of nucleic acid based signatures. By using MOL-PCR for detecting unique STEC DNA signatures in samples from the beef supply chain (farm to table) this assay will provide a multiplex and high throughput complement to the multiplex PCR assays currently in use. This research is focused on DNA detection of 8 STEC serotypes (STEC-8): O26, O45, O103, O104, O111, O121, O145, and O157:H7 as well as the virulence genes: stx1, stx2, and eae. The goal is to produce a multiplex panel of MOL-PCR probes for identifying DNA signatures corresponding to each of the STEC-8 serotypes and ultimately strain specific identification.'

Language

English

Keywords

MOL-PCR, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, STEC

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Biomedical Engineering

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Biomedical Engineering

Project Sponsors

This project was supported by Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Grant No. 2012-68003-30155 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Prevention, Detection and Control of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) from Pre-Harvest Through Consumption of Beef Products Program-A4101.

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