A miniaturised electrochemical affinity assay based on a wall-free sample droplet and micro-dispensing of the redox-labelled binding partner
Author
Summary, in English
An affinity-assay was developed that is based on the modulation of the diffusion coefficient of a redox-labelled hapten upon complementary recognition of the analyte leading to an increase of molecular weight and hence to a decrease of the diffusion coefficient. The slower diffusion is monitored by means of cyclic voltammetry. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of this assay format, recognition of biotin by streptavidin has been chosen as a model system. Labelling of biotin was achieved by covalent binding of a ferrocene derivative to the biotin unit. To reduce the consumption of expensive compounds and to allow automatisation of the assay a novel miniaturised set-up was developed based on a wall-free sample droplet which forms the electrochemical cell with typical volumes of up to 10 mul. This droplet is dispensed by means of a step-motor driven syringe pump through a specially designed electrode holder spanning the gap between a micro-working electrode and a macroscopic counter electrode. By means of a piezo-driven micro-dispenser a predefined number of nano-droplets (100 pl volume each) containing the redox-labelled hapten are shot into the sample droplet. By this, any physical contact and hence any cross-contamination between the sample and the reagent solution could be avoided. Signal amplification can be achieved by redox recycling between the micro-electrode and the perpendicular positioned macroscopic counter electrode. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Publishing year
2001
Language
English
Pages
611-620
Publication/Series
Biosensors & Bioelectronics
Volume
16
Issue
9-12
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Elsevier
Topic
- Analytical Chemistry
- Medical Engineering
Keywords
- AVIDIN
- TECHNOLOGY
- MALDI
- BIOTIN INTERACTION
- CAPILLARY-ELECTROPHORESIS
- FLOW-THROUGH DISPENSER
- streptavidin
- miniaturisation
- micro-dispenser
- immunoassay
- biotin
- diffusion coefficient
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1873-4235