A novel colorimetric method for the detection of Escherichia coli using cytochrome c peroxidase-encoding bacteriophage.

A new rapid and simple method was developed for the detection of Escherichia coli by constructing a recombinant T4 phage carrying the cytochrome c peroxidase gene derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (T4ccp) using which, the colorimetric detection of E. coli K12 was examined. The oxidation activity toward the chromogenic substrate cytochrome c was demonstrated by the cytochrome c peroxidase (CCP) produced from the T4ccp genome. The color change caused by the oxidation of the substrate could be visually perceived. The possibility of interference in the detection by the coexistence of other bacteria was assessed using Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a nontarget bacterium, and it was confirmed that the coexistence of P. aeruginosa caused no interference in the detection of E. coli K12.