Biosensor for the detection of bacteriophages based on a super-high-frequency resonator

Azospirillum lipoferum Sp59b microbial cells were immobilized on the surface of thin polystyrene films modified in plasma from a high-frequency discharge of argon (13.56 MHz). The optimal conditions for immobilization, under which cell activity was maintained with respect to specific bacteriophages, were established. It was shown that it is possible to record the interaction of immobilized microbial cells and bacteriophages with a microwave-based resonant system (5–8.5 GHz). It was found that the biosensor made it possible to distinguish the interaction of bacterial cells with specific bacteriophages from the control, in which such interaction was absent. With the obtained super-high-frequency sensor, it was possible to determine the content of ΦAl-Sp59b bacteriophages in a suspension containing ~106 phages/mL. The analysis time was about 10 min. The viability of microbial cells after immobilization was also determined with this sensor. The results obtained with the use of the sensor on the basis of a super-high-frequency resonator have shown that it is promising for the development of methods to determine viral particles and the viability of microbial cells.