Nucleic acid mediated electron transfer

• US 6,238,870 B1
• Filed: 12/08/1999
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Fraser, Scott E., Kayyem, Jon Faiz, Meade, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zitomer, Stephanie W.
• Application Number:
  US09/458,187
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 435/6, 536/23.1, 536/24.3
• US Class Current: 435/6.11
• CPC Class Codes: C07H 21/00 Compounds containing two or more mononucleotide units having separate phosphate or polyphosphate groups linked by saccharide radicals of nucleoside groups, e.g. nucleic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C07H 23/00 Compounds containing boron, silicon, or a metal, e.g. chelates, vitamin B12 esters with inorganic acids C07H11/00; metal salts, see parent compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6818 involving interaction of two or more labels, e.g. resonant energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6825 Nucleic acid detection involving sensors
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2563/113 the label being electroactive, e.g. redox labels
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2563/137 Metal/ion, e.g. metal label
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/101 Interaction between at least two labels
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/1015 labels being on the same oligonucleotide
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/401 Signal amplification by chemical polymerisation
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/607 being a sensor, e.g. electrode
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change

Abstract

The present invention provides for the selective covalent modification of nucleic acids with redox active moieties such as transition metal complexes. Electron donor and electron acceptor moieties are covalently bound to the ribose-phosphate backbone of a nucleic acid at predetermined positions. The resulting complexes represent a series of new derivatives that are bimolecular templates capable of transferring electrons over very large distances at extremely fast rates. These complexes possess unique structural features which enable the use of an entirely new class of bioconductors and photoactive probes.

Claims

1. A composition comprising a single stranded nucleic acid attached to an electrode via a three dimensional polymer matrix, wherein said nucleic acid comprises a covalently attached electron transfer moiety.

2. A composition according to claim 1 further comprising an electron transport mediator.

3. A composition according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said electron transfer moiety is a transition metal complex.

4. A composition according to claim 3 wherein said transition metal is selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhenium, osmium, platinum and iron.

5. A composition according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said electron transfer moiety is an organic electron transfer moiety.

6. A composition according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said electrode is a gold electrode.

7. A composition according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said mediator is ferrocene.