Added array of molecular chains for interfering with electrical fields

• US 5,114,674 A
• Filed: 05/01/1987
• Issued: 05/19/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biotronic Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: Biotronic Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Hunter, Kenneth W. Jr., Newman, Arnold L., Stanbro, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): WARDEN, JILL ALICE
• Application Number:
  US07/044,767
• Time in Patent Office: 1,845 Days
• Field of Search: 422/69, 422/79, 422/82.02, 422/57, 204/1 T, 204/403, 204/14.1, 204/35.1, 204/153.1, 436/500, 436/525, 436/63, 436/149, 436/806
• US Class Current: 422/82.02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/3276 being a hybridisation with immobilised receptors using a FET type sensor G01N27/4145; concerning the hybridisation C12Q1/68
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5438 Electrodes

Abstract

An array of molecular chains is added to a dielectric material between two electrodes of a capacitive affinity sensor. Such an array of molecular chains greatly changes dielectric properties between the two electrodes to greatly enhance sensitivity of the sensor. In a sensor using direct binding, a viral fragment is bound to the sensor'"'"'s surface. A molecular chain, comprising an anti-viral antibody, an anti-human antibody, and a protein molecule, binds to the viral fragment. In a sensor using competitive binding a hapten is bound to the sensor'"'"'s surface. A molecular chain, comprising an antibody with attached aliphatic hydrocarbons, binds to the hapten. A free analyte competes with the hapten to bind with the antibody.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting an analyte comprising:

a means for generating an electrical field;

a means for interfering with the electrical field comprising a biochemically active layer to which an analyte binds and which is adjacent the means for generating the electrical field; and

a means for enhancing interference with the electrical field according to a concentration of the analyte, and comprising a molecular chain which binds to and extends from the analyte.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the biochemically active layer comprising a receptor molecule bound to the base, and the analyte comprising a ligand that is biospecific to the receptor molecule.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, the molecular chain comprising a protein molecule bound to the ligand.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, the ligand comprising a first antibody and the molecular chain comprising a second antibody that is an antibody to the first antibody.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, the molecular chain comprising a protein molecule bound to the second antibody.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, the molecular chain comprising an alkyl group molecule bound to the ligand.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, the molecular chain comprising an amide group molecule bound to the ligand.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, the biochemically active layer comprising a first antibody bound to the base, the analyte comprising a hapten biospecific to the first antibody, and the molecular chain comprising a second antibody biospecific to the analyte.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, the molecular chain comprising a protein molecule bound to the second antibody.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, the first and second antibodies comprising different antibodies.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a capacitive affinity sensor;

the ligand comprising a first antibody;

the means for generating comprising two electrodes between which the electric field is generated;

the means for interfering with the electrical field comprising a dielectric material between the two electrodes.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, the biochemically active layer comprising a hapten, the first antibody biospecific to the hapten, the molecular chain comprising a protein that is biospecific to the first antibody.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, the molecular chain comprising a second antibody that is an antibody to the first antibody, and a protein bound to the second antibody.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, the molecular chain comprising:

an antigen that is biospecific to the first antibody;

a second antibody that is biospecific to the antigen; and

a protein bound to the second antibody.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, the molecular chain comprising an alkyl group molecule bound to the first antibody that is biospecific to the receptor molecule.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, the molecular chain comprising an amide group molecule bound to the first antibody that is biospecific to the receptor molecule.

17. An apparatus for detecting an analyte comprising:

a means for generating an electrical field;

a means for interfering with the electrical field comprising a biochemically active layer adjacent the means for generating the electrical field and a displaceable biochemical molecule extending from the biochemically active layer and biospecific to the biochemically active layer; and

a means for enhancing interference with the electrical field and comprising a molecular chain bound to the biochemical molecule and extending away from the biochemically active layer, wherein

the molecular chain and biochemical molecule are displaced from the biochemically active layer and change the electric field according to the concentration of an analyte.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, the biochemically active layer comprising a receptor molecule bound to the base, and the biospecific molecule comprising a ligand that is biospecific to the receptor molecule.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, the molecular chain comprising a protein molecule bound to the ligand.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, the ligand comprising a first antibody, and the molecular chain comprising a second antibody that is an antibody to the first antibody and a protein molecule bound to the second antibody.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, the molecular chain comprising an alkyl group molecule bound to the ligand.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, the molecular chain comprising an amide group molecule bound to the ligand.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, the biochemical molecule comprising a first antibody, and the molecular chain comprising:

a second antibody different from the first antibody;

an antigen biospecific to the first antibody and to the second antibody; and

a protein molecule bound to the second antibody.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 comprising a capacitive affinity sensor;

the ligand comprising a first antibody;

the means for generating comprising two electrodes between which the electric field is generated;

the means for interfering with the electrical field comprising a dielectric material between the two electrodes.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, the biochemically active layer comprising a receptor molecule, the molecular chain comprising a first antibody biospecific to the receptor molecule and a protein bound to the first antibody.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, the molecular chain comprising a second antibody that is an antibody to the first antibody and a protein bound to the second antibody.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, the molecular chain comprising:

an antigen that is biospecific to the first antibody;

a second antibody that is biospecific to the antigen; and

a protein bound to the second antibody.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, the molecular chain comprising an alkyl group molecule bound to the first antibody.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, the molecular chain comprising an amide group molecule bound to the first antibody.