Aptamer biosensor detects mycoplasma-associated protein in T-cell culture
Published in Biology, Immunology, Journals, Tools.
Published October 30, 2026.
Researchers describe an electrochemical biosensor for detecting Mycoplasma hyorhinis contamination in human T-cell cultures. The device uses an aptamer that recognizes the microorganism’s p37 protein, offering a route to detection with limited sample preparation.
In buffer and T-cell co-culture medium, the reported detection limit was approximately two cells per milliliter, while reliable quantification required approximately seven cells per milliliter. Detection and quantification limits are different measures and should not be treated as interchangeable.
The sensor also responded to p37 released into culture medium even when bacterial cells were absent, although the response was lower than in samples containing cells. A positive signal therefore does not, by itself, establish the presence of living microorganisms.
The study supports further development of culture-monitoring tools relevant to cell-therapy research and manufacturing. It does not establish detection of every mycoplasma species, validated product-release testing or clinical readiness. Performance in broader manufacturing settings would need additional validation.
Source: Shola David et al., npj Biosensing. Published October 30, 2026. DOI: 10.1038/s44328-026-00118-6.