Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination remains a significant concern for the food industry, as illustrated by several recent E. coli outbreaks through ground beef, fresh spinach, frozen pizza, raw cookie dough and Taco Bell. The ability of the antimicrobial peptide Cecropin P1-cys (CP1-cys) and an isolated fragment to bind and kill E. coli was evaluated using the Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation. Both CP1-cys and the fragment bound more and killed more E. coli O157:H7 and K12 than the bare adsorption surface. The isolated fragment is about 40% cheaper than the whole CP1-cys, which is a step towards fast, selective and cost-efficient biosensor applications.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Carlson, Erik Daniel

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042810-124149

Advisor

• Camesano, Terri Anne

Year

• 2010

Date created

• 2010-04-28

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Chemical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2020-11-14