Thin membrane sensor with biochemical switch
First Claim
1. An electrochemical biosensor capable of signalling the presence of a target agent, comprisinga. a biochemical switch comprising a hydrophilic film layer containing a recognition biomolecule, the recognition biomolecule having an ion channel blocker and a recognition moiety capable of specifically binding with a target agent,b. a hydrophobic gate membrane comprised of membrane material and ion channel gate material, in contact with the biochemical switch, andc. a measuring device comprising a conductive measuring electrode in contact with the gate membrane, and means for measuring a current surge between the biochemical switch and the measuring electrode in response to exposure to a target agent.
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Abstract
A modular biosensor system for chemical or biological agent detection utilizes electrochemical measurement of an ion current across a gate membrane triggered by the reaction of the target agent with a recognition protein conjugated to a channel blocker. The sensor system includes a bioresponse simulator or "biochemical switch" module which contains the recognition protein-channel blocker conjugate, and in which the detection reactions occur, and a transducer module which contains a gate membrane and a measuring electrode, and in which the presence of agent is sensed electrically. In the poised state, ion channels in the gate membrane are blocked by the recognition protein-channel blocker conjugate. Detection reactions remove the recognition protein-channel blocker conjugate from the ion channels, thus eliciting an ion current surge in the gate membrane which subsequently triggers an output alarm. Sufficiently large currents are generated that simple direct current electronics are adequate for the measurements. The biosensor has applications for environmental, medical, and industrial use.
107 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An electrochemical biosensor capable of signalling the presence of a target agent, comprising
a. a biochemical switch comprising a hydrophilic film layer containing a recognition biomolecule, the recognition biomolecule having an ion channel blocker and a recognition moiety capable of specifically binding with a target agent, b. a hydrophobic gate membrane comprised of membrane material and ion channel gate material, in contact with the biochemical switch, and c. a measuring device comprising a conductive measuring electrode in contact with the gate membrane, and means for measuring a current surge between the biochemical switch and the measuring electrode in response to exposure to a target agent.
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22. A method of using a biosensor, the method comprising:
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providing a biochemical switch having a hydrophilic film layer containing a recognition biomolecule, the recognition biomolecule having an ion channel blocker and a recognition moiety capable of specifically binding with a target agent, a hydrophobic gate membrane containing ion channels in contact with the biochemical switch, and a measuring device, said measuring device comprising a conductive measuring electrode in contact with the gate membrane, and means for measuring a current surge between the biochemical switch and the measuring electrode, placing the biosensor in an environment suspected of containing a target material, contacting the biochemical switch to the suspected environment, and determining the presence of the target material.
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23. A method of making a biosensor, the method comprising:
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providing a biochemical switch having a hydrophilic film layer containing a recognition biomolecule, the recognition biomolecule having an ion channel blocker and a recognition moiety capable of specifically binding with a target agent, providing a hydrophobic gate membrane containing ion channels, providing a measuring device, said measuring device comprising a conductive measuring electrode and means for measuring a current surge between the biochemical switch and the measuring electrode, connecting the gate membrane to the measuring device, and connecting the biochemical switch with the gate membrane.
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Specification