US 6,316,186 B1 · Binding assay using binding agents with tail groups

Abstract

The present invention discloses methods and kits for the determination of the concentration of one or more analytes in a liquid sample using capture agents immobilized on a solid support and binding agents for binding the analyte(s), the binding agents having tail groups capable of binding to the respective capture agent. Preferably, the capture agents and binding agents are complementary oligonucleotides, and the capture agents are immobilized in the form of microspots. The use of the tail groups and capture agents can allow the binding of the analyte(s) to the binding agent(s) to take place in solution, rather than at a surface, improving the kinetics associated with this process. In addition, the user of the assay can customize any suitable binding agents for use with a universal support, by attaching tail groups to them.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for determining the concentration of a plurality of analytes in a liquid sample, the method employing:

a solid support having immobilized at discrete locations thereon a plurality of different capture agents;
and
a plurality of binding agents, each binding agent having binding sites specific for a given analyte and having a tail group adapted to bind to one of said capture agents;
the method comprising the steps of:
(a) contacting the liquid sample with the binding agents so that a fraction of the binding sites of each binding agent become occupied by their respective analytes;
(b) contacting the liquid sample, either simultaneously or sequentially with step (a), with the solid support so that the binding agents become bound to their respective capture agents;
and
(c) determining a value representative of the fraction of the binding sites of a given binding agent occupied by an analyte whereby to determine the concentration of the analyte in the liquid sample
wherein the capture agents are oligonucleotides having sequences which can hybridize to a complementary sequence on the tail group of the corresponding binding agent.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Binding assay using binding agents with tail groups

Life of this patent

Binding assay using binding agents with tail groups

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15