Sensor for analyte detection

• US 6,322,963 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2000
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biosansor Systems Design, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Biosensor Systems Design, Inc.
• Inventors: Bauer, Alan Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Leary, Louise N.
• Application Number:
  US09/701,906
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 435/4, 435/287.1, 435/289.1, 435/817, 435/283.1, 204/403, 204/164, 204/193, 205/81, 205/372, 422/82.01, 422/50
• US Class Current: 435/4
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/001 Enzyme electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5438 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 435/817 Enzyme or microbe electrode

Abstract

A sensor for detecting analytes is described. Analyte presence or concentration is determined through measurement of changes in induced electromotive force, current or other electrical property in a base member during analyte exposure to the sensor. According to one class of embodiments, the present device immobilizes natural or synthetic macromolecules sufficiently close to an electrically-conductive base member to insure that any alteration in the motion and/or electrostatic fields of the macromolecules during interaction with a predetermined analyte will induce an increased electromotive force in the base member.

Claims

1. A sensor (100) for detecting an analyte, comprising:

a base member (120) having a conductive electrical property;

at least one macromolecular entity (140) bound to said base member (120);

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT

said macromolecular entity (140) and said base member (120) define an externally unpowered sensor strip, said macromolecular entity (140) being interactive at a level of specificity with a predetermined analyte (150), wherein an electrical signal is generated in said sensor strip responsive to presence of the analyte (150); and

a detection unit (170) passively coupled to said sensor strip for detecting said generated electrical signal.

2. The sensor according to claim 1, further comprising a self-assembled monolayer (130) bound to said base member (120) and proximate said macromolecular entity (140).

3. The sensor according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein said macromolecular entity (140) comprises a first macromolecular entity (340) capable of interacting at a first specificity and a second macromolecular entity (345) capable of interacting at a second specificity for the detection of at least one analyte.

4. The sensor according to any one of claims 1, 2, or 3, wherein electrical leads (160) of said detection unit (170) are coupled to said sensor strip at no more than two positions (165, 167) of the sensor strip.

5. The sensor according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, further comprising tow equipotential leads (160) coupling said sensor strip to said detection unit (170).

6. The sensor according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein the base member (120) is a conducting foil, coating, thin-film, ink, or solid piece.

7. The sensor according to claim 3, wherein said macromolecules (340,345) are arranged in a multilayer (341, 342) proximate the base member (120).

8. The sensor according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a packaging layer (650) disposed above said macromolecular entity (640), said packaging layer being soluble in a medium that contains the analyte (655, 657).

9. A method for detecting an analyte, comprising the steps of:

(1) providing an electrically conductive base member (120);

(2) immobilizing at least one macromolecule (140) in proximity to said base member (120), wherein said macromolecule (140) is capable of interacting at a level of specificity with a predetermined analyte (150), CHARACTERIZED IN THAT

said base member (120) and said macromolecule (140) define an externally unpowered sensor strip;

exposing analyte to said macromolecule (140); and

detecting an electrical signal generated in said sensor strip, said electrical signal being responsive to analyte presence.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

(1) binding a self-assembled monolayer (130) to said base member (120); and

(2) immobilizing said macromolecule (140) proximate said self-assembled monolayer (130).

11. The method according to any one of claims 9 or 10, wherein said macromolecule (140) comprises a first macromolecule (340) capable of interacting at a first specificity and a second macromolecule (345) capable of interacting at a second specificity for the detection of at least one analyte.

12. The method according to any one of claims 9, 10 or 11, wherein said step of detecting is performed by equipotentially coupling a detection unit (170) to said sensor strip at no more than two positions (165, 167) of the sensor strip.

13. The method according to any one of claims 9, 10 or 11, wherein electrical leads (160) of a detection unit (170) are passively coupled to said sensor strip.

14. The method according to any one of claims 9, 10 or 11, wherein the base member (120) is a conducting foil, coating, thin-film, ink, or solid piece.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein said macromolecules (340, 345) are arranged in a multilayer (341, 342) proximate the base member (320).

16. The method according to any one of claims 9, 10, or 11, further comprising the step of disposing a packaging layer (650) above said macromolecules (640), said packaging layer being soluble in a medium that contains the analyte (655, 657).

17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of coupling said electrical leads (160) to a load for delivery of power thereto.