Method and device for identifying a polymer

• US 7,067,253 B1
• Filed: 06/10/2000
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Secutech International Pte Limited
• Original Assignee: November Aktiengesellschaft Gesellschaft Fur Molekulare Medizin
• Inventors: Hassmann, Jorg, Bertling, Wolf
• Primary Examiner(s): WHISENANT, ETHAN C
• Application Number:
  US10/018,449
• Time in Patent Office: 2,208 Days
• Field of Search: 435/6, 435/7.1, 435/283.1, 536/24.3, 536/23.1
• US Class Current: 435/6.11
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6825 Nucleic acid detection involving sensors

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for identifying a first polymer (4, 7) which is bonded to a first phase (5) that reflects electromagnetic waves. Said method comprises the following steps: (a) bringing the first polymer (4, 7) into contact with a second polymer (3, 8), which is bonded to a solid second phase (1) by metallic clusters (2), said second phase being permeable to electromagnetic waves; (b) irradiating the second phase (1) with electromagnetic waves; and (c) determining the change in the properties of the reflected electromagnetic waves.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a first polymer which is bound to a first phase which reflects electromagnetic waves, which method has the following steps:

a) bringing the first polymer into contact with a second polymer which has affinity to the first polymer and which is bound, by way of metallic clusters, to a solid second phase which is pervious to electromagnetic waves,

b) irradiating the second phase with electromagnetic waves, and

c) detecting a change in the properties of the reflected electromagnetic waves,

wherein the change in the properties of the reflected electromagnetic waves identifies the first polymer.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that light is used as the electromagnetic waves.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the property change which is measured is the absorption in a predetermined spectrum before and/or after the first polymer has been brought into contact with the second polymer.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the property change which is measured is the chronological change in the absorption and/or reflection when the first polymer and the second polymer are brought into contact and/or separated.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the property change is measured at several angles of incidence which differ from each other.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the metallic clusters are evaporation-coated directly onto the second phase or are bound to the second phase by way of a layer which is formed from the second polymer.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that a layer formed from the second polymer is applied to the surface of the second phase.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that at least one layer formed from the first polymer is intercalated between the layer which is applied to the surface and the layer which is bonded to the metallic clusters.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a layer formed from the first polymer is applied to the surface of the first phase.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that a layer sequence formed from the first polymer and the second polymer is applied to the surface.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first polymer and/or second polymer employ and/or employs DNA, RNA, ssDNA or ssRNA or synthetic analogs thereof, protein, peptide, peptide nucleic acid (PNA) or a ligand thereof, or polyacrylic acid, polyethylenimine or poly(D-glucosamine).

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, in the step denoted with the letter a, at least one other polymer, which is bound to the first phase, is brought into contact with the second polymer.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the polymers are applied to the first phase in the form of a barcode.

28. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said light is LASER light.

29. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said light is monochromatic light.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29, wherein said property change which is measured is the spectral shift of said monochromatic light.

14. A device for identifying a first polymer which is bound to a first phase which reflects electromagnetic waves, characterized in that a second polymer, which has affinity to the first polymer, is bound, by way of metallic clusters, to the surface of a second phase which is pervious to electromagnetic waves.

15. The device as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the metallic clusters are formed from silver, gold, aluminum, copper or indium.

16. The device as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the electromagnetic waves are light.

17. The device as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the second phase is produced from a transparent material.

18. The device as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the first polymer and/or the second polymer is/are DNA, RNA, ssDNA or ssRNA or synthetic analogs thereof, protein, peptide, peptidenucleic acid (PNA) or a ligand thereof, or polyacrylic acid, poly(D-glucosamine) or polyethylenimine.

19. The device as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that a contrivance for determining the optical property of the reflected light is provided.

20. The device as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that the contrivance can be used to measure the absorption in a predetermined spectrum before and/or after the first polymer and the second polymer are brought into contact.

21. The device as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that the contrivance can be used to measure the spectral shift of the reflective light.

22. The device as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that the contrivance can be used to measure the optical property at several angles of incidence which differ from each other.

23. The device as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that the metallic clusters are bound to the second phase by way of a layer which is formed from the second polymer.

24. The device as claimed in claim 23, characterized in that a layer which is formed from the second polymer is applied to the surface on the second phase.

25. The device as claimed in claim 24, characterized in that at least one layer which is formed from the first polymer is intercalated between the layer provided on the surface and the layer which is bonded to the metallic clusters.

26. The device as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that a layer which is formed from the first polymer is applied to the surface of the first phase.

27. The device as claimed in claim 26, characterized in that a layer which is formed for the second polymer is applied to the layer which is provided on the surface.

31. The device as claimed in claim 16, wherein said light is LASER light.

32. The device as claimed in claim 17, wherein said transparent material is plastic or glass.