Electronic detection of biological molecules using thin layers
First Claim
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1. A molecular sensing apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of electrode pairs, wherein the electrode pairs comprise;
a first electrode;
a second electrode; and
an insulator between said first electrode and said second electrode, wherein said insulator comprises a channel between said first electrode and said second electrode and wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are separated by less than 30 nanometers and said apparatus is configured by having parallel electrode portions to permit the formation of a plurality of independent, electrically coupled binding agent/analyte complexes electrically in parallel between said first electrode and said second electrode.
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Abstract
This invention provides novel sensors that facilitate the detection of essentially any analyte. In general, the biosensors of this invention utilize a binding agent (e.g. biomolecule) to specifically bind to one or more target analytes. In preferred embodiments, the biomolecules spans a gap between two electrodes. Binding of the target analyte changes conductivity of the sensor thereby facilitating ready detection of the binding event and thus detection and/or quantitation of the bound analyte. A molecular sensing apparatus comprising.
170 Citations
76 Claims
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1. A molecular sensing apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of electrode pairs, wherein the electrode pairs comprise;
a first electrode;
a second electrode; and
an insulator between said first electrode and said second electrode, wherein said insulator comprises a channel between said first electrode and said second electrode and wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are separated by less than 30 nanometers and said apparatus is configured by having parallel electrode portions to permit the formation of a plurality of independent, electrically coupled binding agent/analyte complexes electrically in parallel between said first electrode and said second electrode. - 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, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
a first biological macromolecule is attached to the first electrode and the second electrode in the first electrode pair, and a second biological macromolecule is attached to the first electrode and the second electrode in the second electrode pair; - wherein the first biological molecule and the second biological molecule are the same.
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27. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein
a first biological macromolecule is attached to the first electrode and the second electrode in the first electrode pair, and a second biological macromolecule is attached to the first electrode and the second electrode in the second electrode pair; - wherein the first biological molecule and the second biological molecule are different.
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28. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a computer electrically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode.
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29. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a semiconductor material.
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30. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 29, wherein said semiconductor material has a resistivity ranging from 10−
- 6ω
-m to 107Ω
-m.
- 6ω
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31. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 29, wherein the semiconductor material is selected from the group consisting of silicon, dense silicon carbide, boron carbide, Fe3O4, germanium, silicon germanium, silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, titanium carbide, indium phosphide, gallium nitride, gallium phosphide, aluminum phosphide, aluminum arsenide, mercury cadmium telluride, tellurium, selenium, ZnS, ZnO, ZnSc. CdS, ZnTc, GaSc, CdSe, CdTe, GaAs, InP, GaSb, EnAs, Te, PbS, InSb, PbTe, PbSe, and tungsten disulfide.
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60. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein a biological macromolecule or macromolecule/analyte complex connects said first electrode and said second electrode in said first electrode pair.
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61. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 60 wherein said biological macromolecule is selected from the group consisting of a nucleic acid, a protein, a polysaccharide, a lectin, and a sugar.
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62. The molecular sending apparatus of claim 60 wherein said biological macromolecule is a deoxyribonucleic acid or a nucleic acid.
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63. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 60 wherein said biological macromolecule is functionalized with a chemical group selected from the group consisting of a sulfate, a sulfhydryl, an amine, an aldehyde, a carboxylic acid, a phosphate, a phosphonate, an alkene, an alkyne, a hydroxyl, a bromine, an iodine, a chlorine, a light-activatable group, and a group activatable by an electric potential.
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64. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 60 wherein the biological macromolecule is attached to the first electrode by a thiol group.
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65. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 60 wherein the biological macromolecule is attached to the first electrode by a phosphorothioate or a phosphonate.
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66. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 60 wherein the biological macromolecule is attached to said first electrode by a linker.
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67. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 66 wherein said linker is selected from the group consisting of DFDNB, DST, ABH, ANB-NOS, EDC, NHS-ASA, and SIA.
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68. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein a first biological macromolecule is attached to said first electrode and a second biological macromolecule is attached to said second electrode.
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69. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first electrode comprises a surface with a shape selected from the group consisting of convex, concave, textured, corrugated, patterned uniformly, and randomly patterned.
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70. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 62 wherein said nucleic acid is deoxyribonucleic acid or ribonucleic acid.
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71. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are separated by less than 20 nanometers.
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72. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 71, wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are separated by less than 15 nanometers.
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73. The molecular sensing apparatus of claim 72, wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are separated by less than 10 nanometers.
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32. A molecular sensing apparatus comprising a plurality of electrode pairs in an insulating substrate,
wherein a first electrode pair in said plurality of electrode pairs comprises a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein said first electrode and said second electrode are separated by less than 30 nanometers and said apparatus is configured by having parallel electrode portions to permit the formation of a plurality of independent, electrically coupled binding agent/analyte complexes electrically in parallel between said first electrode and said second electrode.
Specification