METHOD OF ELECTRICALLY DETECTING A BIOLOGICAL ANALYTE MOLECULE
First Claim
1. A method of electrically detecting a biological analyte molecule by means of a pair of electrodes, wherein said electrodes are arranged at a distance from one another and wherein said pair of electrodes is arranged within a sensing zone, the method comprising:
- (a) immobilising on an immobilisation unit a capture molecule, wherein the capture molecule has an affinity to the analyte molecule and is capable of forming a complex with the analyte molecule;
(b) contacting the immobilisation unit with a solution suspected to comprise the analyte molecule;
(c) allowing the analyte molecule to form a complex with the capture molecule;
(d) adding an electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag, wherein the electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag comprises or consists of electrically conducting matter that is capable of chemically interacting with the analyte molecule, thereby allowing said electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag to associate to the complex formed between said capture molecule and said analyte molecule;
(e) determining the presence of the analyte molecule based on an electrical characteristic of a region in the sensing zone, wherein the electrical characteristic is influenced by the electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a method of electrically detecting a biological analyte molecule by means of a pair of electrodes. The electrodes are arranged at a distance from one another within a sensing zone. A capture molecule, which has an affinity to the analyte molecule and which is capable of forming a complex with the analyte molecule, is immobilised on an immobilisation unit. The immobilisation unit is contacted with a solution suspected to comprise the analyte molecule. The analyte molecule is allowed to form a complex with the capture molecule. The invention also provides a probe defined by a nanoparticulate tag that comprises or consists of electrically conducting matter that is capable of chemically interacting with the analyte molecule. In the method of the invention the electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag is added. Thereby the electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag is allowed to associate to the complex formed between the capture molecule and the analyte molecule. The presence of the analyte molecule is determined based on an electrical characteristic, influenced by the electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag, of a region in the sensing zone.
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Citations
70 Claims
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1. A method of electrically detecting a biological analyte molecule by means of a pair of electrodes, wherein said electrodes are arranged at a distance from one another and wherein said pair of electrodes is arranged within a sensing zone, the method comprising:
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(a) immobilising on an immobilisation unit a capture molecule, wherein the capture molecule has an affinity to the analyte molecule and is capable of forming a complex with the analyte molecule; (b) contacting the immobilisation unit with a solution suspected to comprise the analyte molecule; (c) allowing the analyte molecule to form a complex with the capture molecule; (d) adding an electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag, wherein the electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag comprises or consists of electrically conducting matter that is capable of chemically interacting with the analyte molecule, thereby allowing said electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag to associate to the complex formed between said capture molecule and said analyte molecule; (e) determining the presence of the analyte molecule based on an electrical characteristic of a region in the sensing zone, wherein the electrical characteristic is influenced by the electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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- 47. A probe defined by an electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag, the electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag comprising or consisting of matter selected from the group consisting of a metal, a metalloid, carbon and a polymer, wherein said matter has an affinity to a biological analyte molecule and is capable of forming a complex with the analyte molecule.
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63. A kit for electrically detecting a biological analyte molecule, the kit comprising:
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(a) a pair of electrodes, wherein said electrodes are arranged at a distance from one another and wherein said pair of electrodes is arranged within a sensing zone, (b) an immobilisation unit arranged within said sensing zone; (c) a capture molecule, wherein said capture molecule has an affinity to the analyte molecule and is capable of forming a complex with the analyte molecule; and (d) an electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag, wherein the electrically conducting nanoparticulate tag comprises or consists of electrically conducting matter that is capable of chemically interacting with the analyte molecule. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70)
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Specification