Biosensors for Detecting Bond Rupture

• US 20080216564A1
• Filed: 03/21/2005
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Industrial Research Limited
• Original Assignee: Industrial Research Limited
• Inventors: Yuan, Yong, Andrews, Michael, Marlow, Barry, Arnold, W Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/592,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20080216564A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/61.75
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/553 and using surface plasmons fluorescence excitation G01N21/648; enhanced Raman G01N21/658
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0251 Solidification, icing, curing composites, polymerisation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0423 Surface waves, e.g. Rayleigh waves, Love waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0426 Bulk waves, e.g. quartz crystal microbalance, torsional waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/14 using acoustic emission techniques echo of particles G01N29/046; measuring mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in solids in general G01H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/222 Constructional or flow details for analysing fluids optoacoustic fluid cells G01N29/2425
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/24 Probes transducers for acoustic waves B06B, G10K; for measuring G01H
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54373 involving physiochemical end-point determination, e.g. wave-guides, FETS, gratings

Abstract

A biosensor comprises a surface onto which bio-macromolecules are bound, the surface and bio-macromolecules being immersed in liquid, a bond rupture detector associated with the surface and arranged to detect the rupture of bonds between the bio-macromolecules and a target substance (6), and an oscillator (8) associated with the liquid and spaced from the surface and arranged to produce oscillations in the liquid to cause bonds between the bio-macromolecules and the target substance (6) to rupture.

Claims

1. A biosensor comprising;

a surface onto which bio-macromolecules are bound the surface and bio-macromolecules being immersed in liquid,

a bond rupture detector associated with the surface and arranged to detect the rupture of bonds between the bio-macromolecules and a target substance, and

an oscillator associated with the liquid and spaced from the surface and arranged to produce oscillations in the liquid to cause bonds between the bio-macromolecules and the target substance to rupture.

2. A biosensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bond rupture detector is a surface plasmon resonance detector that detects, when bonds between the bio-macromolecules and the target substance rupture, a change in the angle of reflected light that has minimum reflectance.

3. A biosensor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bond rupture detector detects acoustic emissions produced when bonds between the bio-macromolecules and target substance rupture.

4. A biosensor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the oscillator produces oscillations that are ultrasonic in frequency.

5. A biosensor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the oscillator is arranged to provide oscillations at a predetermined frequency.

6. A biosensor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the oscillator is arranged to provide oscillations over a range of frequencies.

7. A biosensor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the amplitude of the oscillations produced by the oscillator is constant,

8. A biosensor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the amplitude of tile oscillations produced by the oscillator changes.

9. A biosensor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 further comprising a self assembled monolayer adapted to bind the bio-macromolecules to the surface.

10. A biosensor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the surface is coated in gold or silver.

11. A biosensor as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 comprising more than one surface, each surface provided with bio-macromolecules that bind to different target substances.

12. A method of detecting a target substance comprising the steps of;

providing a biosensor including at least one surface onto which bio-macromolecules are bound, a bond rupture detector associated with the surface and arranged to detect the rupture of bonds between the bio-macromolecules and a target substance, and an oscillator separate from the surface and arranged to produce waves to cause bonds between the bio-macromolecules and the target substance to rupture,

bringing the biosensor into contact with a test fluid that may contain the target substance,

generating oscillations with the oscillator directed at the surface and

detection whether any bonds rupture with the detector, and

comparing a parameter of the oscillator when the bonds rupture with stored data and wherein

during operation of the biosensor the surface of the biosensor and the oscillator are immersed in liquid.