Anthrax is a bacterium that produces a spore, that in turn produces a set of proteins that can work together with lethal effect. The presence of anthrax can be confirmed by testing for one of these substances, Protective Antigen (PA). This protein exerts its effect by punching holes in the membranes of its hosts’ cells to let in other toxins; it is a porous protein.
Oxford Nanopore has conducting work on athrax detection under a US TSB grant. The Company's unique, proprietary biosensing chip to detect the presence of this porous protein is well suited to direct, electronic detection of anthrax. The chip is an electrical device in which an artificial biological membrane similar to a human cell membrane prevents the flow of current from one part of the device to the other. If a hole is formed in the membrane, a current will flow, allowing for the presence of PA to be detected.
The detection is electronic and real-time, and may be sensitive enough to detect a single molecule of the PA porous protein. Increasing the number of channels working simultaneously in the device increases its sensitivity still further. These qualities means that the technology is suitable for further development into a portable device suitable for field testing at a reasonable cost, as a means of early confirmation of suspected anthrax exposure.