Modified phycobilisomes and uses therefore
OwnerRoger S. Cubicciottiinventor
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Abstract
This invention provides modified phycobilisomes and phycobilisome complexes that are supramolecular complexes with diverse spectral properties, and which may optionally be immobilized on a manufactured solid support. The invention provides a versatile set of highly sensitive signal-generating systems and conjugates that may be used as highly detectable tracers and labels, or in biotransducers comprising phycobilisomes or phycobilisome complexes, and also provides methods for performing specific binding assays using signal-generating systems comprising phycobilisomes as detectable labels. The embodiments of the invention provide the art with an extremely sensitive, nonisotopic detection means for assaying analytes and for sensing molecular events and environmental conditions.
Claims58
An isolated, soluble, stabilized phycobilisome comprising a plurality of phycobiliproteins specifically connected by at least one linker polypeptide.
A phycobilisome conjugate comprising a phycobilisome conjugated to a molecular species selected from the group consisting of ligands, receptors, and signal-generating molecules, wherein each phycobilisome comprises a plurality of phycobiliproteins specifically connected by at least one linker polypeptide, said molecular species being attached to a single type of phycobiliprotein, a single type of linker polypeptide, or an anchor protein.
A phycobilisome conjugate comprising a phycobilisome conjugated to a molecular species selected from the group consisting of ligands, receptors, and signal-generating molecules, wherein each phycobilisome comprises a plurality of phycobiliproteins specifically connected by at least one linker polypeptide, said molecular species being attached to a particular portion of said phycobilisome.
An isolated phycobilisome comprising a plurality of phycobiliproteins specifically connected by at least one linker polypeptide, said phycobilisome being non-covalently attached to a molecular species selected from the group consisting of ligands, receptors, and signal-generating molecules, wherein the molecular species is not an antibody which specifically binds said phycobilisome.
An isolated, functionally intact phycobilisome comprising a plurality of phycobiliproteins specifically connected by at least one linker polypeptide, wherein said phycobilisome is immobilized on a manufactured solid support.
An input system for a transducer comprising:
- conversion means for receiving ultraviolet or visible light and directionally transferring light energy of said light;
- and
- coupling means for receiving said directionally transferred light energy and delivering said light energy to a transducer.
An environmentally responsive optical sensor, comprising:
- conversion means for receiving ultraviolet or visible light and directionally transferring light energy of said light, wherein transfer of the light energy is dependent on an environmental condition;
- and
- sensor means for receiving said directionally transferred light energy and producing an indication of the environmental condition.
A system for processing a light signal comprising:
- conversion means for receiving ultraviolet or visible light and directionally transferring light energy of said light;
- and
- processing means for receiving and processing said directionally transferred light energy.
A method for performing a specific binding assay comprising:
- contacting a sample comprising an analyte with a specific binding partner;
- determining the amount of the analyte present in the sample by means of its ability to specifically bind to the specific binding partner, wherein a component of the assay is detectably labeled with a signal-generating system comprising phycobilisomes, said phycobilisomes being self-assembling complexes of phycobiliproteins and linker proteins, each phycobilisome comprising at least one rod, said assay component being selected from the group consisting of the specific binding partner, reagent molecules having the same chemical identity as the analyte, and reagent molecules which compete with the analyte for specific binding to the specific binding partner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.