Detection of N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone via MIP-based QCM sensor: preparation and characterization

While high living organisms use sounds and words to communicate with each other, bacteria provide this function with some communication molecules. These communication molecules are expressed as "Quorum Sensing" (QS) or chemicals produced by the environment sensing system and used by bacteria to communicate. This case revealed that bacteria are talking. N-acyl-homoserine-lactones (AHL), which are the main signaling molecules of gram-negative bacteria, may express the pathogenic factors, and Quorum Sensing (QS) system may play an important role in the identification of the being virus. AHLs are produced at low concentrations that are difficult to detect with general techniques. In this study, molecularly imprinted polymeric membranes, which are specific to lactone with 6-carbons (C6-HSL) were prepared on QCM chips, and molecularly imprinted QCM chips were utilized to detect N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL) with high sensitivity from the aqueous medium. Characterization of the synthesized polymers were analyzed by AFM, SEM, contact angle and FTIR-ATR spectrophotometer analyzes. The maximum C6-HSL adsorption on the C6-HSL imprinted QCM chip surface was observed at 1000 ng/mL concentration, pH 7.0. Moreover, GC-MS results correlated with the results of our studies, and they confirmed the sensitivity of synthesized polymers toward C6-HSL in solution containing competitor molecules.