# US 11,078,489 B2 · Methods and compositions for backscattering interferometry

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- Number: US 11,078,489 B2
- Document ID: US11078489B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/959,389
- Filed: 2018-04-23
- Published: 2019-04-25
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2015-03-09
- Assignees: Base Pair Biotechnologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Base Pair Biotechnologies, Inc.
- Inventors: George W. Jackson; Darryl Bornhop
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078489B2

## CPC

- C12N 15/115: Aptamers, i.e. nucleic acids binding a target molecule specifically and with high affinity without hybridising therewith {; Nucleic acids binding to non-nucleic acids, e.g. aptamers}
- G01N 21/47: Scattering, i.e. diffuse reflection (G01N21/25, G01N21/41 take precedence {G01N21/55 takes precedence})
- G01N 33/5308: {for analytes not provided for elsewhere, e.g. nucleic acids, uric acid, worms, mites}
- G01N 33/542: with steric inhibition or signal modification, e.g. fluorescent quenching
- C12N 2310/16: Aptamers
- C12N 2310/531: Stem-loop; Hairpin
- G01N 2021/4709: {Backscatter}
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for enhancing backscattering interferometry (BSI) in detection of biomolecular interactions, particularly to methods and compositions for enhancing BSI utilizing label-free aptamers, and more particularly to methods and compositions for enhancing BSI utilizing high conformational change aptamers, which may change in conformation when the aptamers bind to their target molecules.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A non-labeled molecular beacon comprising:
a hairpin aptamer having a non-self-hybridizing loop region and self-hybridizing stem region, said hairpin aptamer comprising a non-naturally occurring sequence comprising the sequence of SEQ ID No. 1;
wherein said self-hybridizing stem region dehybridizes upon binding of said hairpin aptamer to a target molecule to elicit a conformational change in said hairpin aptamer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The non-labeled molecular beacon of claim 1, wherein said self-hybridizing stem has a hybridized length of between 2 and 6 nucleopairs.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The non-labeled molecular beacon of claim 1, wherein said self-hybridizing stem comprises at least one modulating feature.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The non-labeled molecular beacon of claim 3, wherein said at least one modulating feature selected from the group consisting of mismatch pair and accessory loop formation.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The non-labeled molecular beacon of claim 1, wherein said non-self-hybridizing loop region comprises an aptamer binding region with a specific binding affinity to said target molecule.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The non-labeled molecular beacon of claim 1, wherein said hairpin aptamer comprises at least one modified nucleotide.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The non-labeled molecular beacon of claim 1, wherein said hairpin aptamer binds to tenofovir.