Mesoscale Technologies, Llc.

Igen International, Inc.

Other

Bioveris Corporation

Meso Scale Technology Llp

Pam Liang

Mark T Martin

Liwen Dong

Jonathan K Leland

Alan B Fischer

Robert Hoch

Richard J Massey

Fabian Jameison

Ming Lu

Rick Saul

Graphitic nanotubes, which include tubular fullerenes (commonly called 'buckytubes') and fibrils, which are functionalized by chemical substitution, are used as solid supports in electrogenerated chemiluminescence assays. The graphitic nanotubes are chemically modified with functional group biomolecules prior to use in an assay. Association of electrochemiluminescent ruthenium complexes with the functional group biomolecule-modified nanotubes permits detection of molecules including nucleic acids, antigens, enzymes, and enzyme substrates by multiple formats.

Graphitic nanotubes in luminescence assays

Electrochemiluminescent-labels and enzyme substrates, which preferably are conjugated, are used in immunoassays and electrochemiluminescence is generated catalytically. In conventional electrochemiluminescence immunoassays, an anti-analyte antibody molecule can give rise to typically 6&#x2013;8 electrochemiluminescence-active ruthenium atoms, while in the present invention, each enzyme-labeled anti-analyte molecule can give rise to thousands of electrochemiluminescence-active ruthenium atoms per second. An exemplary immunoassay is based on a catalytic process employing &#x3b2;-lactamase-conjugated anti-analytes which enzymatically hydrolyze electrochemiluminescent-labeled substrates, making them strongly electrochemiluminescent. The electrochemiluminescence signal generated by each anti-analyte molecule (i.e., each analyte molecule) is much greater than with the conventional method. Accordingly, greater sensitivity can be gained in the measurement of low concentrations of a given immunoassay analyte.

Electrochemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay

Electrochemiluminescent-labels and enzyme substrates, which preferably are conjugated, are used in immunoassays and electrochemiluminescence is generated catalytically. In conventional electrochemiluminescence immunoassays, an anti-analyte antibody molecule can give rise to typically 6-8 electrochemiluminescence-active ruthenium atoms, while in the present invention, each enzyme-labeled anti-analyte molecule can give rise to thousands of electrochemiluminescence-active ruthenium atoms per second. An exemplary immunoassay is based on a catalytic process employing &bgr;-lactamase-conjugated anti-analytes which enzymatically hydrolyze electrochemiluminescent-labeled substrates, making them strongly electrochemiluminescent. The electrochemiluminescence signal generated by each anti-analyte molecule (i.e., each analyte molecule) is much greater than with the conventional method. Accordingly, greater sensitivity can be gained in the measurement of low concentrations of a given immunoassay analyte.

Graphitic nanotubes, which include tubular fullerenes (commonly called &ldquo;buckytubes&rdquo;) and fibrils, which are functionalized by chemical substitution, are used as solid supports in electrogenerated chemiluminescence assays. The graphitic nanotubes are chemically modified with functional group biomolecules prior to use in an assay. Association of electrochemiluminescent ruthenium complexes with the functional group biomolecule-modified nanotubes permits detection of molecules including nucleic acids, antigens, enzymes, and enzyme substrates by multiple formats.

Detectable compounds comprising a chemically-transformable first compound covalently linked to an electrochemiluminescent compound are provided. Such compounds are useful in processes and kits that monitor the status of the first compound and derive information from such monitoring.

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Rockville, MD, United States of America

Pam Liang