Method for concentrating viruses, method for concentrating cells or bacteria, and magnetic composite

Abstract

A method for concentrating viruses includes applying a magnetic force to a mixture containing: sugar chain-immobilized magnetic metal nano-particles each having a structure in which a sugar chain-immobilized metal nano-particle is bound to a first magnetic nano-particle; second magnetic particles with mean particle size larger than that of the sugar chain-immobilized magnetic metal nano-particles; and a specimen. Each sugar chain-immobilized metal nano-particle has a structure where a ligand-conjugate is bound to a metal nano-particle via sulfur atoms. The ligand-conjugate has a structure where a linker compound's amino group is connected to a sugar chain having a reducing terminal. The linker compound includes, in molecules thereof, an amino group, sulfur atoms, and a hydrocarbon chain having carbon-nitrogen bonds. This allows short-time concentration of viruses in a sufficient amount almost equal to that of centrifugation concentration, allowing safely and effectively concentrating target viruses, resulting in prompt, easy, and highly sensitive detection and identification of viruses.