Characterisation of bacteria by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)

This standardised SERS method, incorporating principal component analysis (PCA), was not suitable to distinguish between the SERS spectra of large numbers of bacterial isolates and species. Variation was present in the SERS spectra of bacterial isolates grown on different days and between different bacterial isolates from the same bacterial species. Variation in the SERS spectra of P. aeruginosa could not be explained solely by differences in the strain tested or differences in the phenotype.

Differences were observed in the SERS spectra of P. aeruginosa isolates obtained under anaerobic conditions compared to aerobic conditions.<br><br>The variation in the SERS spectra of P. aeruginosa isolates may result from adaption of these isolates to different micro-environments in the CF lung, resulting in genotypic and phenotypic diversity between and within strains. In conclusion, this SERS method may be of limited value characterising bacterial isolates cultured from the sputum from people with CF.<br><i><br>Thesis embargoed until 31 December 2026</i>.