Cellular Analysis and Notification of Antigen Risks and Yields (CANARY) – Information taken from Todd H. Rider, et al., "A B Cell-Based Sensor for Rapid Identification of Pathogens," Science 2003, 301: 213-215.
Researchers at MIT Lincoln Laboratory began work in 1997 on the CANARY (Cellular Analysis and Notification of Antigen Risks and Yields) project. It involves the use of B-lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that our bodies use against bacterial and viral invaders. These cells are already designed by nature to search for any bacteria and viruses very rapidly. In the laboratory, they are given the ability to glow in the presence of certain contaminants by adding a luminescence gene from jellyfish. The actual detectors are pathogen specific antibodies within the B cells that trigger a burst of calcium when an agent is detected. Within seconds, the calcium activates a bioluminescent protein that causes the whole cell to glow. A device termed a luminometer is used to analyze the light-emitting cell. Within the luminometer the cells are kept alive in test tubes and their response is displayed on a computer readout. The system has already been tested successfully against a list of biological agents, including anthrax, smallpox, plague, tularemia and encephalitis.
The CANARY bio-agent forensic analysis of body fluids would be useful for monitoring air, water, and contaminated surfaces as well as body fluids. It is expected to detect more rapidly and with greater sensitivity than conventional sensors that are based on chemical reactions. These chemical reactions can take several hours to complete and the sensors can require several thousands of particles for detection. By comparison, CANARY has been able detect as few as 50 colony-forming units of the plague bacterium in less than three minutes. Furthermore, unlike many existing sensors, CANARY would not require advanced training for operation. Consequently, MIT researchers foresee a variety of applications for the system. ...
In the event of an emergency, suspicious substances on the street, subways, or airports could be tested quickly.
We report the use of genetically engineered cells in a pathogen identification sensor. This sensor uses B lymphocytes that have been engineered to emit light within seconds of exposure to specific bacteria and viruses. We demonstrated rapid screening of relevant samples and identification of a variety of pathogens at very low levels. Because of its speed, sensitivity, and specificity, this pathogen identification technology could prove useful for medical diagnostics, biowarfare defense, food- and water-quality monitoring, and other applications.
