Biological warfare agent sensor system employing ruthenium-terminated oligonucleotides complementary to target live agent DNA sequences
US5874046A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 30, 1996 |
| Grant date | Feb 23, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 30, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC12Q1/6825
- WIPO fieldBiotechnology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A sensor system and method are provided that are capable of the real-time detection of target live microorganisms, such as biological warfare agents. The sensor system includes a highly-sensitive, highly-selective sensor cell that comprises a single-stranded oligonucleic acid sequence that is complementary to a portion of the DNA of a target live microorganism, the oligonucleic acid having been modified with the covalent attachment of electron donor and acceptor moieties. In the presence of the targeted microorganism, hybridization occurs between the modified oligonucleic acid and the microorganism's DNA, such that the electron conductance between the electron transfer moieties greatly increases, thereby providing a means of detecting the presence of the target live microorganism. Aside from the sensor cell, the sensor system also includes an inlet port in the sensor cell wall by which to introduce a sample from the fluid environment into the sensor cell; a cell wall disrupter to release the nucleic acid of the fluid sample into the sensor cell; an electron transfer rate measuring system to gauge the electron transfer rate between the electron transfer moieties of the modified olig…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.