Cell Lysis using Surface Acoustic Wave Devices for Sensor Applications

This paper reports on the use of surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices for lysis of the Gram-positive bacterium Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius. Vegetative cells were exposed to surface acoustic wave energy for up to 8 min at 5 degrees to 55 degrees C. DNA concentration was quantified by fluorescence, and quantitative PCR was performed to confirm molecular recognition of specific DNA sequences. The successful use of SAW devices for lysis of bacterial cells is reported for the first time in this work, opening the possibility of using SAW as a lysing mechanism in portable DNA detection devices.