An optical biosensor assay for rapid dual detection of Botulinum neurotoxins A and E

The enzymatic activity of the pathogenic botulinum neurotoxins type A and E (BoNT/A and E) leads to potentially lethal paralytic symptoms in humans and their prompt detection is of crucial importance. A chip assay based on Surface Plasmon Resonance monitoring of the cleavage products is a simple method that we have previously established to detect BoNT/A activity. We have now developed a similar format assay to measure BoNT/E activity. A monoclonal antibody specifically recognizing SNAP25 cleaved by BoNT/E was generated and used to measure the appearance of the neo-epitope following injection of BoNT/E over SNAP-25 immobilized on a chip. This assay detects BoNT/E activity at 1 LD(50)/ml within minutes and linear dose-responses curves were obtained using a multiplexed biosensor. A threshold of 0.01 LD(50)/ml was achieved after 5 h of cleavage. This assay is 10-fold more sensitive than the in vivo assay for direct detection of BoNT/E in serum samples. The SNAP25 chip assay is able to discriminate in an automated manner the presence of BoNT/E, BoNT/A or a combination of both toxins.