Engineered cattle tick acetylcholinesterase biosensor for field-deployable organophosphate and carbamate detection
A portable electrochemical biosensor leveraging engineered cattle tick acetylcholinesterase (BmAChE1) for rapid, field-deployable detection of organophosphates and carbamates. The enzyme offers 20–40x higher sensitivity than human AChE and improved thermal stability, enabling cost-effective bacterial expression and integration onto screen-printed electrodes for environmental and agricultural monitoring.
Overview
This solution addresses the need for rapid, sensitive, and field-deployable detection of organophosphate and carbamate pesticides in environmental and agricultural settings. Current commercial assays rely on vertebrate-derived acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which offers limited sensitivity. By engineering cattle tick (Rhipicephalus microplus) AChE1 (BmAChE1)—an enzyme that is 20–40 times more sensitive than human AChE and 5–8 times more sensitive than many insect AChEs—this technology delivers superior detection performance. The improved enzyme is integrated onto screen-printed electrodes paired with a portable readout device, enabling on-site testing of water, soil, and agricultural samples without the need for laboratory infrastructure.
Technical specifications
- Enhanced enzyme sensitivity: Cattle tick BmAChE1 engineered for increased thermal stability, reduced aggregation, and improved core packing, surface polarity, and backbone rigidity.
- Bacterial expression: Sequence modifications enable cost-effective recombinant production in bacterial systems.
- Electrochemical biosensor format: Engineered BmAChE1 immobilized on screen-printed electrodes, with gold nanoparticles used to increase enzyme loading on the electrode surface.
- Portable readout: Compatible with off-the-shelf portable potentiostat devices for user-friendly, rapid field results.
- Broad analyte coverage: Validated and expanding testing across organophosphates, carbamates, and combinations commonly encountered in agriculture, groundwater, and soil.
Technology readiness level
The project is currently at an early-to-mid stage of development. Feasibility has been established through preliminary studies demonstrating the enhanced sensitivity of BmAChE1. Ongoing and future work includes in silico design refinement of the enzyme, expanded analyte validation, optimization of sample preparation and testing conditions for quantitative reproducibility, determination of sensor shelf-life and storage conditions, and preparation for large-scale manufacturing. The technology is advancing toward a commercially manufacturable, field-ready biosensor platform.
About Attogene
Attogene is a biotechnology and biomanufacturing company based in Austin, Texas, that specializes in the development and production of rapid detection technologies and molecular biology tools. The company’s portfolio includes lateral flow assays, ELISA kits, qPCR and qLAMP detection kits, and custom assay development services. By leveraging expertise in protein biochemistry, antibody production, and diagnostic assay design, Attogene creates solutions for diverse applications, including environmental monitoring—such as algae toxin and water quality testing—as well as human health, food safety, and pathogen detection. Their approach focuses on making complex scientific analysis more accessible through portable and efficient diagnostic formats.
These products and services are designed to support researchers, laboratories, and industrial partners in fields ranging from environmental protection to clinical diagnostics. The company assists clients with project needs from early-stage feasibility and prototype optimization through to manufacturing and quality validation. By providing tools that reduce the time, cost, and complexity associated with traditional testing methods, Attogene enables more effective process control and environmental oversight. The company is also active in research and development, including projects supported by agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to advance innovations in RNA therapeutics and diagnostic technologies.
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