APS News

June 1996 (Volume 5, Number 6)

Biosensors Provide Near-Single-Molecule Sensitivity

In a Division of Chemical Physics session at the March Meeting, scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory reported developments of a novel, high-sensitivity biosensor for potential applications including environmental monitoring of airborne or waterborne contaminants, and clinical tests where ultra-sensitive detection is needed. Employed in a working device, an array of such biosensors would be able to perform immunoassays — the process by which the presence of antigens is detected — in about 10 minutes, much faster that other methods at these small concentrations.

Atomic force microscopes (AFMs) can directly measure the forces at the nanoscopic level, and the NRL researchers have used them to measure the force between two complementary strands of DNA. According to team member Gil Lee, they now hope to use a device based on AFM technology to detect biomolecules. They have developed a "force amplified biological sensor" (FABS), which uses the ultra-sensitive force transducers originally developed for AFMs to detect molecular recognition forces between DNA molecules, metal ions-chelators, -antibodies-antigens, or other ligand--receptor molecules. This gives FABS near-single-molecule sensitivity, an improvement of six to eight orders of magnitude over competitive techniques.

According to Lee, the device will soon be capable of detecting atto-molar amounts of various biological species such as cells, proteins, viruses and bacteria. The increased sensitivity of the device greatly reduces sampling requirements, requires no washing or amplification steps, and can be fully automated. The transducers are also micromachined, so FABS devices could eventually be miniaturized into portable units with low power requirements.

Currently, the prototype device works with an immunobead assay, consisting of an antibody attached to a sensitive cantilever beam. Next, an antigen in solution binds to the antibody. A second antibody, mounted on a micron-sized magnetic bead, also binds to the antigen, forming an antibody-antigen-antibody-bead sandwich. After washing away excess particles, a magnetic field is applied, which pulls out the particles, causing the cantilever to bend. The deflection of the cantilever is then measured, and by counting the beads one arrives at the antigen concentration in the solution.

©1995 - 2024, AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY
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Editor: Barrett H. Ripin

June 1996 (Volume 5, Number 6)

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Articles in this Issue
Metallic Hydrogen, Magnetic Surgery Mark 1996 March Meeting
Journal Embargo Policies Spark Controversy
Livermore Scientists Achieve Metallic Hydrogen
U.S. Science Policy Shifting in Era of Political Change
TV Series Documents Changing Face of Science in America
Magnetic System Promises to Improve Brain Surgery
Information Theory Provide Unified Framework for Neuroscience
Stochastic Resonance Can Help Improve Signal Detection
Scientists Seek Further Improvements to Quantum Measurements and Standards
Biosensors Provide Near-Single-Molecule Sensitivity
Women in Physics Make Modest Gains, While Minorities Remain Level
Session Marks Centenary Of Discovery Of Radioactivity
The Curies: The Very Model of Modern Spousal Collaboration
UNESCO Meeting Outlines Current and Future Practices
Physics of High and Low Level Waste Management Explored
Scientists Simulate Vortices Flowing Through Superconductor
STM Key to Positioning Individual Molecules at Room Temperature
In Brief
APS Views
Letters
Questioning Affirmative Action
Going Against the Flow: A Sabbatical in Russia
The Back Page