Label-free detection of inclusion body formation in E. coli with application of terahertz

Abstract

Extensive production of recombinant protein is essential for use in various fields. Bacterial cells, especially the Escherichia coli (E. E. coli) ) expression system, are widely used for the production of recombinant proteins due to their advantages in time and cost. However, the formation of inclusion bodies (IBs) caused by the production of recombinant protein is a significant issue. Therefore, a precise tool for the detection of IBs is in high demand. In this study, we demonstrated a label-free and rapid sensing platform for the detection of IBs formation in E. coli using terahertz-time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) system and terahertz metamaterials. The detection was based on the local polarity difference between E. coli samples with induced (positive) and non-induced (negative) protein overexpression. The formation of IBs in positive samples resulted in a decrease in local polarity compared to negative samples. This local polarity difference, strongly related to intermolecular interactions, influenced THz absorption as the THz regime involves weak intermolecular vibrational modes. Experimental results showed that the THz transmittance (Delta T) Delta T ) and resonance frequency shift (Delta f) Delta f ) were significantly different between positive and negative samples, confirming the effectiveness of our method. Specifically, positive samples exhibited a Delta T value of 26.57% and a Delta f value of 0.12 THz, while negative samples showed a Delta T value of 31.83% and a Delta f value of 0.14 THz. These results highlight the capability of our platform to detect IBs rapidly and accurately.