Functionalized NMR-based Xenon Biosensor

APPLICATIONS:

Biological sensor In vivo diagnostics In vitro assays Drug discovery

ADVANTAGES:

High signal-to-noise ratio Extendable to multiplexing assays for multiple analytes Eliminates background signals Only requires small sample quantities Results are easily interpreted
ABSTRACT:

Alexander Pines, David Wemmer, and colleagues have developed a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based xenon biosensor. The Berkeley Lab researchers have combined optical pumping laser technology with a technique of emplacing hyperpolarized xenon within a carrier structure having a binding region specific for a target species. This xenon biosensor exploits the sensitivity of the chemical shift of xenon to its immediate environment to allow observation of molecular recognition events such as protein-ligand binding.

The high signal-to-noise ratio afforded by the optical pumping of xenon allows a strong signal to be detected from a very small number of molecules. The simplicity of the xenon spectrum results in easily interpreted results while the absence of xenon in biological systems eliminates any background signal. This technology makes possible the observation of multiple recognition events, allowing the simultaneous detection of many analytes. The Berkeley Lab xenon biosensor may rival the fluorescence techniques that currently define the state-of-the-art for detection of minute quantities of biological molecules.

Patents:
US 6,652,833

Inventor(s): Alexander Pines, David Wemmer

Type of Offer: Licensing



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