Active accumulation of very diluted biomolecules by nano-dispensing for easy detection below the femtomolar range

Year: 2014

Authors: Grilli S., Miccio L., Gennari O., Coppola S., Vespini V., Battista L., Orlando P., Ferraro P.

Autors Affiliation: National Institute of Optics – CNR, via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli (NA) I-80078, Italy;
Institute of Protein Biochemistry – CNR, via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli (NA) I-80078, Italy;
CNR-INO and CNR “E. Caianiello”, via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli (NA) I-80078, Italy

Abstract: Highly sensitive detection of biomolecules is of paramount interest in many fields including biomedicine, safety and eco-pollution. Conventional analyses use well-established techniques with detection limits similar to 1 pM. Here we propose a pyro-concentrator able to accumulate biomolecules directly onto a conventional binding surface. The operation principle is relatively simple but very effective. Tiny droplets are drawn pyro-electro-dynamically and released onto a specific site, thus increasing the sensitivity. The reliability of the technique is demonstrated in case of labelled oligonucleotides diluted serially. The results show the possibility to detect very diluted oligonucleotides, down to a few hundreds of attomoles. Excellent results are shown also in case of a sample of clinical interest, the gliadin, where a 60-fold improved detection limit is reached, compared with standard ELISA. This method could open the way to a mass-based technology for sensing molecules at very low concentrations, in environmental as well as in diagnostics applications.

Journal/Review: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS

Volume: 5      Pages from: 5314-1  to: 5314-6

More Information: We acknowledge the Italian Ministry of Research for financial support under \’Futuro in Ricerca 2010\’ Programme (Protocol RBFR10FKZH) and under the \’Progetto Operativo Nazionale\’ AquaSystem (Protocol 1719). We thank Dr. Sabato D\’Auria from CNR-IBP for the fruitful discussions.
KeyWords: biomolecules; label-free detection; nanoparticles; gold; molecules
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6314

Citations: 45
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