Method and apparatus for solid state molecular analysis
First Claim
1. A method for the construction of a molecular deposition domain on a surface, comprising:
- (a) providing a surface;
(b) depositing a deposition material on a deposition device, wherein the deposition material comprises a biomolecule;
(c) depositing the deposition material on the surface using said deposition device, forming a molecular deposition domain smaller than one micron squared.
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Abstract
The invention is a method for the formation and analysis of novel miniature deposition domains. These deposition domains are placed on a surface to form a molecular array. The molecular array is scanned with an AFM to analyze molecular recognition events and the effect of introduced agents on defined molecular interactions. This approach can be carried out in a high throughput format, allowing rapid screening of thousands of molecular species in a solid state array. The procedures described here have the added benefit of allowing the measurement of changes in molecular binding events resulting from changes in the analysis environment or introduction of additional effector molecules to the assay system. The processes described herein are extremely useful in the search for compounds such as new drugs for treatment of undesirable physiological conditions. The method and apparatus of the present invention does not require the labeling of the deposition material or the target sample and may also be used to deposit large size molecules without harming the same.
198 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method for the construction of a molecular deposition domain on a surface, comprising:
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(a) providing a surface;
(b) depositing a deposition material on a deposition device, wherein the deposition material comprises a biomolecule;
(c) depositing the deposition material on the surface using said deposition device, forming a molecular deposition domain smaller than one micron squared. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40, 41, 42)
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2. A method for the construction of a molecular deposition domain on a surface, comprising:
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(a) providing a surface;
(b) placing a deposition device in contact with or near proximity to a deposition material to be deposited;
(c) exposing the deposition device and the deposition material to a humid gas so that a capillary bridge is formed between the deposition device and the deposition material;
(d) retracting the deposition device, retaining a portion of the deposition material on the deposition device;
(e) depositing the deposition material on the surface using said deposition device, forming a molecular deposition domain smaller than one micron squared. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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9. A method for the construction of a molecular deposition domain on a surface, comprising:
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(a) providing a surface wherein the surface comprises a sputtered layer of gold;
(b) depositing a deposition material on a deposition device;
(c) depositing the deposition material on the surface using said deposition device, forming a molecular deposition domain smaller than one micron squared.
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26. A method for the construction of a molecular deposition domain on a surface, comprising:
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(a) providing a surface;
(b) depositing a deposition material on a deposition device wherein the deposition device further comprises an attached microsphere;
(c) depositing the deposition material on the surface using the deposition device, forming a molecular deposition domain. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 43, 44)
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38. A method for constructing an array of molecular deposition domains comprising:
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(a) providing a surface;
(b) providing an at least one deposition material;
(c) depositing a first deposition material on a deposition device;
(d) depositing the first deposition material on the surface in a known position, forming a first molecular deposition domain smaller than one micron squared in total area;
(e) cleaning the deposition device;
(f) repeating the above steps to form an at least one other deposition domain, creating an array of two or more deposition domains on said surface. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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Specification