<![CDATA[The rapid and sensitive detection of pathogenic bacteria is paramount for preventing infectious disease outbreaks, ensuring food safety, and guiding clinical treatment. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel biosensing platform based on peptide-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles for the rapid, selective, and sensitive detection of a model pathogen, Escherichia coli O157:H7, in its early stages. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized and subsequently functionalized with a specifically designed, high-affinity peptide that targets an outer membrane protein of E. coli O157:H7. The detection was performed using a simple colorimetric assay based on the peroxidase-like activity of the MNPs, where the signal intensity was proportional to the concentration of captured bacteria. The peptide-functionalized MNPs demonstrated a high capture efficiency of over 95% within 20 minutes. The platform exhibited excellent sensitivity with a low limit of detection of approximately 15 colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL) in buffer and 30 CFU/mL in spiked milk samples. The developed peptide-functionalized magnetic nanoparticle platform is a highly effective and robust system for the early-stage detection of pathogens. Its combination of speed, high sensitivity, and excellent specificity makes it a promising candidate for the development of portable, point-of-care diagnostic tools for applications in food safety, environmental monitoring, and clinical diagnostics, addressing a critical need for rapid and reliable pathogen screening.]]>
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