Biological particulate matter analogue

Abstract

The present invention provides a biological particle analogue, or biological analogue, that simulates a chosen biological organism or compound. The biological analogue includes a first portion that is not, in and of itself, recognized by the biological detection system, and a second portion, which provides the properties necessary for recognition by the detection system, carried by the first portion. The biological analogue is constructed in such a way as to include some important characteristics of the chosen biological organism or compound, while excluding other undesirable characteristics of the chosen biological organism or compound. The present invention is useful in testing a variety of biological detection systems.

1 . A method for testing or calibrating a biological detection system which detects a biological material comprising: 
 a) providing a biological analogue comprising: 
 (1) a first portion; and  
 (2) a second portion carried by said first portion;  
 wherein said biological analogue acts as a surrogate for said biological material, and further wherein said biological detection system recognizes said biological analogue as said biological material; and  
   b) introducing said biological analogue into an area to be monitored or tested by said biological detection system.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said biological analogue has approximately the same aerodynamic diameter as said biological material.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said biological analogue has approximately the same density as said biological material.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said biological analogue has approximately the same physical diameter as said biological material.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said first portion is selected from the group consisting of latex, polystyrene, silica, polystyrene styrene/divinylbenzene copolymer, polymethylmethacrylate, polyvinyltoluene styrene/butadiene copolymer, styrene/vinyltoluene copolymer, vinyl carboxylic acid/styrene copolymer, styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer, amino-modified microspheres, carboxylate-modified microspheres, oleic acid and paramagnetic beads.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said second portion is selected from the group consisting of DNA, RNA, PNA, protein, peptide, carbohydrate, lipid, dipicolinic acid and antibodies.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said second portion is selected from the group consisting of DNA, RNA, PNA, protein, peptide, carbohydrate, lipid, dipicolinic acid and antibodies.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said biological material detected by said biological detection system is selected from the group consisting of  Bacillus globigii, Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Orthopoxvirus,  botulinum, ricin, and  Salmonella.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said biological material detected by said biological detection system is selected from the group consisting of  Bacillus globigii, Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Orthopoxvirus,  botulinum, ricin, and  Salmonella.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said biological material detected by said biological detection system is selected from the group consisting of  Bacillus globigii, Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Orthopoxvirus,  botulinum, ricin, and  Salmonella.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said second portion is a fluorophore.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said second portion is a fluorophore.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said second portion is a fluorophore.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said second portion is carried by said first portion because of a linkage selected from the group consisting of covalent linkages, ionic linkages, and streptavidin/biotin linkages.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said second portion is carried by said first portion because of a linkage selected from the group consisting of covalent linkages, ionic linkages, and streptavidin/biotin linkages.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said second portion is carried by said first portion because of a linkage selected from the group consisting of covalent linkages, ionic linkages, and streptavidin/biotin linkages.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said second portion is at least one of a plurality of biologically active molecules found associated with a bacterium.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said second portion is at least one of a plurality of biologically active molecules found associated with a bacterium.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said second portion is at least one of a plurality of biologically active molecules found associated with a bacterium.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said second portion is at least one of a plurality of biologically active molecules found associated with a virus.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said second portion is at least one of a plurality of biologically active molecules found associated with a virus.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said second portion is at least one of a plurality of biologically active molecules found associated with a virus.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said second portion is at least one of a plurality of biologically active molecules found associated with a toxin.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said second portion is at least one of a plurality of biologically active molecules found associated with a toxin.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said second portion is at least one of a plurality of biologically active molecules found associated with a toxin.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said second portion is microencapsulated within said first portion.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said second portion is microencapsulated within said first portion.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said second portion is microencapsulated within said first portion.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said second portion is synthetic.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said second portion is synthetic.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said second portion is synthetic.  
   
   
       32 . A method for testing or calibrating a biological detection system which detects  Bacillus globigii  comprising: 
 a) providing a biological analogue comprising: 
 (1) a first portion; and  
 (2) a second portion carried by said first portion;  
 wherein said biological analogue acts as a surrogate for  Bacillus globigii,  and further wherein said biological detection system recognizes said biological analogue as  Bacillus globigii;  and  
   b) introducing said biological analogue into an area to be monitored or tested by said biological detection system.    
   
   
       33 . A method for testing or calibrating a biological detection system that detects  Bacillus globigii  comprising: 
 a) providing a biological analogue comprising: 
 (1) a first portion; and  
 (2) a DNA portion carried by said first portion;  
 wherein said biological analogue acts as a surrogate for said  Bacillus globigii,  and further wherein said biological detection system recognizes said biological analogue as  Bacillus globigii;  and  
   b) introducing said biological analogue into an area to be monitored or tested by said biological detection system.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said DNA portion is total genomic  Bacillus globigii  DNA.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said first portion is selected from the group consisting of latex, polystyrene, silica, polystyrene styrene/divinylbenzene copolymer, polymethylmethacrylate, polyvinyltoluene styrene/butadiene copolymer, styrene/vinyltoluene copolymer, vinyl carboxylic acid/styrene copolymer, and styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer, amino-modified microspheres, and carboxylate-modified microspheres, oleic acid and paramagnetic beads.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 33  wherein said DNA portion is carried by said first portion because of a linkage selected from the group consisting of covalent linkages, ionic linkages, and streptavidin/biotin linkages.  
   
   
       37 . A method for testing or calibrating a biological detection system for detecting  Bacillus globigii  comprising: 
 a) providing a biological analogue comprising: 
 (1) a silica bead; and  
 (2) a DNA portion carried by said silica bead because of a streptavidin/biotin linkage;  
 wherein said biological analogue acts as a surrogate for said  Bacillus globigii,  and further wherein said biological detection system recognizes said biological analogue as  Bacillus globigii;  and  
   b) introducing said biological analogue into an area to be monitored or tested by said biological detection system.    
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37  wherein said DNA portion is total genomic  Bacillus globigii  DNA.  
   
   
       39 . A method for testing or calibrating a biological detection system that detects  Bacillus globigii  comprising: 
 a) providing a biological analogue comprising: 
 (1) a polystyrene bead; and  
 (2) a DNA portion carried by said polystyrene bead because of an ionic linkage;  
 wherein said biological analogue acts as a surrogate for said  Bacillus globigii,  and further wherein said biological detection system recognizes said biological analogue as  Bacillus globigii;  and  
   b) introducing said biological analogue into an area to be monitored or tested by said biological detection system.    
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39  wherein said DNA portion is total genomic  Bacillus globigii  DNA.  
   
   
       41 . A method for testing or calibrating a biological detection system which detects a biological material comprising: 
 a) providing a biological analogue comprising: 
 (1) a first portion; and  
 (2) a second portion comprising particles from said biological material that have been rendered nonviable, carried by said first portion;  
 wherein said biological analogue acts as a surrogate for said biological material, and further wherein said biological detection system recognizes said biological analogue as said biological material; and  
   b) introducing said biological analogue into an area to be monitored or tested by said biological detection system.    
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41  wherein said particles from said biological material have been rendered nonviable by a method selected from the group consisting of autoclaving, french pressure cell, sonication, and proteolysis.  
   
   
       43 . A method for testing or calibrating a biological detection system that detects a biological material comprising: 
 a) providing a biological analogue comprising:a first portion which is a polystyrene bead with an aerodynamic diameter of approximately 1 micron; and 
 (1) a second portion which is  Bacillus globigii  DNA;  
 wherein said biological analogue tests or calibrates said biological detection system by acting as a surrogate for said biological material, and further wherein said biological detection system recognizes said biological analogue as said biological material; and  
   b) introducing said biological analogue into an area to be monitored or tested by said biological detection system.    
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 45  wherein said second portion is carried by said first portion because of an ionic linkage.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 45  wherein said second portion is carried by said first portion because of a streptavidin/biotin linkage.  
   
   
       46 . A method for testing or calibrating a biological detection system that detects a biological material comprising: 
 a) introducing a biological analogue comprising: 
 (1) a first portion; and  
 (2) a second portion which is a fluorphore selected from the group consisting of tryptophan, NADH, NADPH, flavins, tyrosine, and pyridoxine;  
 wherein said biological analogue tests or calibrates said biological detection system by acting as a surrogate for said biological material, and further wherein said biological detection system recognizes said biological analogue as said biological material; and  
   b) introducing said biological analogue into an area to be monitored or tested by said biological detection system.