Investigators Test Novel Biosensor Linked to Bacterial Spores for Glucose Monitoring

In new research from Binghamton University, a new paper-based biosensor system could identify Bacillus subtilis bacterial spores—which grow in response to glucose in potassium-rich body fluids like sweat—to detect a patient’s glucose level. This would offer a simpler, pain-free alternative to finger sticks for patients with diabetes who are monitoring their glucose.¹

Novel glucose-monitoring test shows promise in less invasive monitoring for patients with diabetes. | Image Credit: KaterynaNovikova | stock.adobe.com

“Everyone has a different potassium concentration in their sweat, and I don’t know how this concentration affects the glucose,” Seokheun Choi, PhD, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Binghamton University, said in a news release. “The sensitivity also is lower than conventional enzymatic biosensors. But from this work, we created a new sensing mechanism to detect glucose. No one has done that yet.”¹

Glucose monitoring can help patients manage health outcomes as well as identify patterns in their blood glucose. Lifestyle modifications, such as sleep, diet, and exercise, can be combined with pharmaceutical interventions to manage blood glucose. A finger prick test has been used to test blood glucose levels, and although minimally invasive, it can cause some pain or discomfort. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems have also been used to provide real-time data and updates on glucose levels throughout the day. CGMs can help track trends and patterns to monitor and improve blood glucose.²

In an interview, Kevin Cowart, PharmD, MPH, BCACP, CDCES, assistant professor from the University of South Florida Taneja College of Pharmacy, discussed how CGMs can help providers and pharmacists optimize medication management for personalized care.³

“Pharmacists can really help to, again, overcome clinical inertia that we see in the management of a lot of chronic diseases, but in the space of diabetes management, can really help with helping to adjust medication sooner, and helping to titrate insulin, and then maybe even decreasing insulin if the patient is experiencing hypoglycemia because we have so much more data around the CGM than we previously had before, which is traditional blood glucose monitoring,” Cowart said.³

However, CGMs have a limited lifespan and require replacement every few weeks, so there is room for improvement, according to the authors of the current study. The investigators developed a strategy using spore-forming microbial whole-cell sensing systems, which would be novel for detecting glucose. They used selective and sensitive germination of B. subtilis spores, which are evident in certain bodily fluids like sweat.¹

Investigators found that the rate of germination and number of metabolically active germinating cells is proportional to glucose concentration. It can produce electrogenic activity, thus can be used as a self-powered transducing signal to detect glucose, according to the study authors. The investigators formulated a micro-engineered, paper-based microbial fuel cell that provides measurable and real-time alerts. In their tests, the sensor showed exceptional selectivity and accurately identified glucose. In comparison with conventional biosensors, the investigators found that their system remained stable for extended periods of time and regained functionality when needed.¹

In conclusion, the investigators stated that “spore-forming microbial whole-cell sensing strategy holds considerable promise for efficient diabetes management and can be extended toward noninvasive wearable monitoring.”¹

REFERENCES

1. New glucose monitoring method could revolutionize diabetes management by eliminating finger-sticks for blood samples. News release. EurekAlert. January 9, 2024. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1069994

2. Gao Y, Elhadad A, Choi S. Revolutionary self-powered transducing mechanism for long-lasting and stable glucose monitoring: achieving selective and sensitive bacterial endospore germination in microengineered paper-based platforms. Microsyst Nanoeng. 2024;10(1):187. Published 2024 Dec 12. doi:10.1038/s41378-024-00836-9

3. ASHP Midyear: Pharmacists Play Key Role in Optimizing Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Diabetes Management. Pharmacy Times. December 8, 2024. Accessed January 23, 2025. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/ashp-midyear-pharmacists-play-key-role-in-optimizing-continuous-glucose-monitoring-for-diabetes-management