NANOIOBIP - Insect Odorant-Binding Proteins on Conductive Polymer Nanofibers Based Biosensor to Diagnose Crop Disease

Project Title

Description

Crop losses to pests and disease continue to reduce production of food worldwide. The efficacy of crop protection practices depends on early detection and this project aims to develop nano-biosensors for this purpose. The antennal sensory system of plant-feeding insects shows very high sensitivity to quite a range of organic molecules such as plant metabolites. This research programme aims at harnessing components of the insect sensory apparatus to develop a nano-biosensor for marker molecules of crop disease. High levels of small soluble proteins surround sensory neurones on the insect antenna. As these proteins reversibly bind odorants with dissociation constants in the micro molar range they are ideally suited for use as sensor-proteins. We plan to use inter-digitated array microelectrodes of a liquid ion-gate field effect transistor or organic field-effect transistors, functionalized with the odour binding proteins, as microelectronic readout devices. Specific binding of odour molecules will generate conformational changes in the odorant binding proteins that will affect the source-drain current of the transistors. Findings from this research project will lead to novel bio-inspired sensors expected to achieve levels of detection for plant metabolites down to the femto Molar level or better and with low-cost reliable operation. The research relies on the expertise of researchers from 5 European countries working together within a highly interrelated network on insect olfactory systems and neurobiology, surface chemistry, biosensor nanofabrication, microelectronics, signal processing and informatics.

Principal Investigator

Guerin, Patrick

Kroeber, Thomas

Status

Completed

Start Date

1 March 2011

End Date

30 September 2014

Organisations

Institut de biologie

Internal ID