Substrate for bio-microarray and bio-microarray

Abstract

For the purpose of improving the accuracy of a variety analyses using a bio-microarray, it is a main object of the invention to provide a bio-microarray capable of producing relatively high signal intensity from a fluorescent molecule and capable of having improved quantification performance and to provide a substrate for bio-microarray. In order to achieve the object, the invention provides a substrate for bio-microarray characterized by having a reflection-suppressing function.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The invention relates to a bio-microarray having probe biomolecules such as DNA, peptide, protein, polysaccharide, cell, and tissue, which are arranged in an array, and also relates to a substrate for bio-microarray. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] In recent years, the target of development of bio-microarrays (also referred to as biochips) has been expanded and thus includes not only DNA microarrays, which have been used in genome analysis, but also microarrays that load any other biomolecules such as peptide, protein, polysaccharide, cell, and tissue. [0005] The bio-microarray analysis method generally includes the processes of introducing a fluorescent molecule as a label into a sample and analyzing light emission from the fluorescent molecule, because such a process is appreciated as having a high sensitivity and a variety of available labels. Examples of the analytical apparatus according to this...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] In the invention, the surface of the substrate also preferably has a fine uneven structure or a fine porous structure. Such a structure can have a high density of probe biomolecules immobilized on the surface of the substrate and thus can increase the detection accuracy.

[0013] In addition, the anti-reflection layer preferably has a fine uneven structure or a fine porous structure, or the light-absorbing layer preferably has a fine uneven structure or a fine porous structure. When the anti-reflection layer or the light-absorbing layer has a fine uneven structure or a fine porous structure, such a layer formed on the substrate can provide both the effect of suppressing the reflection and the effect of increasing the density of probe biomolecules immobilized on the surface of the substrate, so that the detection accuracy can easily be improved.

[0014] In the invention, an immobilization layer for immobilizing the probe biomolecule on the substrate is preferably formed in a pattern. Such a structure can prevent the diffusion of the probe biomolecule and thus can provide a higher packing density. Such a structure can also prevent the adsorption of unnecessary probe biomolecules and thus can further increase the analysis accuracy.

[0015] In the invention, a mark for positional detection is preferably formed on the substrate. Such a structure can provide an improvement in workability and a reduction in error rate in the process of immobilizing the probe biomolecule on the substrate and in the analysis process thereafter.

[0016] The invention also provides a bio-microarray characterized by comprising any of the above-mentioned substrates for bio-microarray and a probe biomolecule immobilized on the substrate. The bio-microarray using the inventive substrate for bio-microarray can relatively increase the signal intensity of the fluorescent molecule and can have good quantification performance, so that it can produce a high analytical accuracy.

[0017] The inventive substrate for bio-microarray has the reflection-suppressing function and thus can form a bio-microarray with a relatively increased signal intensity of a fluorescent molecule and a high analytical accuracy. An anti-reflection layer, a light-absorbing layer or a substrate surface each having a specific structure may be used to provide the reflection-suppressing function. In such a case, not only the reflection-suppressing function but also a high packing density of probe biomolecules can be provided so that a bio-microarray with good quantification performance can be provided. In a case where the reflection-suppressing function and the reflection function are provided in a pattern, the signal intensity of the fluorescent molecule can be increased while the reflection of unnecessary excitation light can be suppressed, so that the analysis accuracy of the bio-microarray can further be improved.

Problems solved by technology

In particular, the reflection of excitation light is a remarkable cause of the reduction in accuracy that can come from the substrate.

On the other hand, an increase in the detected signal intensity requires sufficient absorption of the excitation light into the label of the fluorescent molecule, and therefore, in some cases, suppression of the reflection of the excitation light can reduce the analysis accuracy depending on the intensity of the excitation light.

Specifically, however, substrates produced with no optical processing and substrates having the function of increasing the reflection are only commercially available now.

In some cases, such substrates cannot provide sufficient analytical accuracy, depending on the intensity of the excitation light.

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