A versatile platform for rapid labelfree detection of proteins and small molecules using microfabricated electrode arrays
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abstract
We have developed a new technique that can enable biomolecules (DNA, proteins) and other charged analytes to be detected in free solution without the need for conventional labeling with conjugated chemical fluorophores using a simple device design that consumes minimal electrical power. This method harnesses a microfluidic on-chip electrode array to generate localized zones where the biomolecules become ultra-concentrated, resulting in formation of a mesophase that is clearly visible under ordinary white light. This phenomenon arises as a consequence of the close inter-electrode spacing within the array that permits sufficiently high electric field strengths to be imposed by applying relatively low potentials. Using this arrangement, we have shown that it is possible to detect a variety of analytes in free solution by simply illuminating the electrode surface with white light and observing the accompanying strong increase in reflected intensity. 2008 CBMS.
