Measurement of Analyte with an Acoustic Wave Sensor
AssigneeFoundation for Research and Technology Hellas
InventorsGeorge PAPADAKIS, Elektra GIZELI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sensitive assay for an analyte employing an acoustic wave sensor. A label which has a higher dissipative capacity than the analyte is adhered to the sensing surface of an acoustic wave sensor through the analyte such that the body of the label is spaced apart from and anchored to the surface of the acoustic wave sensor by a distance of 15 to 250 nm. The change in the energy losses of the acoustic wave when the label binds to the sensing surface is used to measure the presence or amount of the label. A substantial improvement in the detection limit of the label is obtained. The analyte may for example be a nucleic acid and the label may for example comprise liposomes.
Claims31
A method of measuring an analyte using a liquid medium acoustic wave sensor having a sensing surface, the method comprising adhering an analyte in a sample to the sensing surface through a single attachment point and adhering a label to the analyte and the surface such that the label binds discretely to the sensing surface, so that each label is adhered to the sensing surface through a single analyte, the label comprising a label body which is thereby anchored to the sensing surface with an anchor length of 5-250 nm, making a first measurement of a parameter which is related to the energy losses of an acoustic wave generated by the liquid medium acoustic wave sensor before the label adheres to the surface;
- and making a second measurement of the parameter after the label adheres to the surface;
- and determining either or both the presence and amount of analyte from the change in the said parameter between the said first and second measurements, wherein the label has a dissipative capacity, being the ratio of the change in the energy losses of an acoustic wave generated by the acoustic wave sensor to the change in the frequency or phase of the acoustic wave generated by the liquid medium acoustic wave sensor, due to the binding of the analyte or label to the sensing surface, which is at least 10% greater than that of the analyte.
(canceled)
(canceled)
A method of selecting a label for the detection of an analyte by a liquid medium acoustic sensor, comprising measuring the change in energy losses of an acoustic wave generated by a liquid phase acoustic wave sensor when the analyte binds to the sensing surface of the acoustic wave sensor, the analyte binding discretely to the sensing surface through a single point of attachment, to thereby determine the dissipative capacity of the analyte and measuring the change in energy losses of an acoustic wave generated by a liquid phase acoustic wave sensor when the label binds to the surface, the label binding discretely to the sensing surface so that each label is adhered to the sensing surface through a single analyte, to thereby calculate the dissipative capacity of the label and selecting the label as a label for use in the detection of the analyte if the calculated dissipative capacity of the label is more than 10% greater than the calculated dissipative capacity of the analyte, the dissipative capacity being the ratio of the change in the energy losses of an acoustic wave generated by the acoustic wave sensor to the change in the frequency or phase of the acoustic wave generated by the liquid medium acoustic wave sensor, due to the binding of the analyte or label to the sensing surface.
A kit for detecting an analyte using a liquid medium acoustic sensor having a sensing surface, the kit comprising a surface probe adherable to the sensing surface or adhered to a sensing surface, label bodies, label probe adhered to or adherable to the label bodies, the surface probe and the label probe each comprising specific recognition elements configured to specifically bind respective regions of the analyte, the surface probe and/or the label probe comprising a spacer region such that the label bodies are adherable discretely to the surface through the analyte and the surface probe, so that each label adheres to the sensing surface through a single analyte, and label probe to thereby anchor the label bodies to sensing surface with an anchor length of 5-250 nm, the label having a dissipative capacity, being the ratio of the change in the energy losses of an acoustic wave generated by the acoustic wave sensor to the change in the frequency or phase of the acoustic wave generated by the liquid medium acoustic wave sensor, due to the binding of the analyte or label to the sensing surface, which is at least 10% greater than that of the analyte.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.