Technology platforms developed at Applied Biosystems also support the detection of microorganisms that contaminate food, water, and air. Ever since the deadly anthrax powder contaminated U.S. mail in 2001, the Postal Service now screens mail sorting machines at large distribution centers.
The detecting device, marketed by Cepheid (www.cepheid.com), samples the air and feeds the samples into a DNA detector that scans for a unique genetic signature. Applied Biosystems provides the reagents to test for the presence of anthrax spores, and the underlying technology is based on real-time PCR technology developed at Applied Biosystems. “It’s another example of the adoption of our core real-time PCR technology for a different application,” says Stevenson.
The assays used to detect anthrax are robust and highly accurate because of oligonucleotides and proprietary dyes manufactured at Applied Biosystems’ large-scale, ISO-accredited facility in Pleasanton, CA, according to Stevenson. The same core technologies and manufacturing processes are being explored to develop similar tests for other pathogens that could trigger bioterrorism events.
In collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Applied Biosystems developed mass spectrometry protocols to assist laboratories to screen for 150 water pollutants that could cause disease outbreaks. The company reports that its ABI 4000Q Trap mass spectrometer detects water contaminants at part-per-trillion levels in less than 15 minutes with no sample preparation required. The system also can detect environmental toxins, such as pesticides in farm runoff water, or evaluate water quality after natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina.
At the International Association of Food Protection meeting held in Calgary, Alberta in August, DuPont Qualicon rolled out the BAX® PCR Assay for the quantitative detection of Camplyobacter jejuni on chicken carcasses. This test identifies and quantitates Campylobacter, which causes food poisoning from eating contaminated chicken.
“This will lead to a revolution in testing and set a new standard in the market,” says Klevan. Innovative real-time PCR technology from Applied Biosystems was incorporated into the design of the BAX system, which Klevan says can detect concentrations as low as 10 cells per 30 milliliter samples in wash water from chicken carcasses.