Cell-Free Biosynthetic Device for Rapid Biomarker Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cell-based biosensing systems face limitations due to slow sensor responses, unpredictable noise profiles, and ethical concerns related to the use of genetically modified living organisms, while cell-free synthetic systems lack clear engineering principles for robust biochemical implementation.
Innovation Solution
A compartmentalized synthetic biochemical network, or biosynthetic device, is developed using non-living micro/nanoscale protocells that perform decision algorithms through in silico design and experimental production, enabling programmable signal processing and biodetection of disease biomarkers with enhanced stability and robustness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cell-based biosensing systems are used, then biological functionality and versatility are improved, but response speed deteriorates and noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the biosensing function from living cells by using cell-free biochemical systems with enzymes and molecular components that can detect and respond to analytes without the constraints of cellular metabolism, thereby achieving faster response times while maintaining biological functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the biological cellular machinery with synthetic biochemical circuits and enzyme-based systems that can be engineered for specific detection functions, eliminating the slow transcriptional and translational processes inherent in cell-based systems
2Adaptability or versatility
If genetically modified living organisms are used, then functional versatility is improved, but ethical concerns and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sensing and detection functions from living organisms by using cell-free biochemical systems, thereby eliminating ethical concerns related to genetically modified organisms while maintaining the ability to perform diverse detection functions through enzyme and molecular circuit design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the biosensing system into discrete biochemical modules and enzyme-based functional units that can be independently designed and combined, reducing the complexity associated with whole-organism genetic modification while maintaining functional versatility
3Reliability
If cell-based biosensors are used, then biological robustness is improved, but signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces cellular signaling mechanisms with direct biochemical detection circuits that convert analyte presence into measurable signals through enzyme-catalyzed reactions, eliminating the noisy intermediate steps of gene expression while maintaining robustness through enzymatic catalysis and molecular recognition
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The biosynthetic device achieves rapid, sensitive, and specific biodetection of biomarkers, demonstrating feasibility in clinical samples for diagnosing human pathologies with improved robustness and ethical considerations.
Implementation Method 1
spatially confining (or compartmentalized) or encapsulating within a microenvironment, at least biomolecular element(s), wherein said biomolecular element(s) supporting biochemical reactions to achieve biosensing of at least one biomolecular signal
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a method for the preparation of a non-living micro/nanoscale biosynthetic device capable of giving an information of a state of a system to analyse. Preferably, said device is used as an assay diagnostic, or to predict the risk, of a disease, or for the classification of mammal, preferably human pathologies. The invention also relates to a method for the identification and/or the quantification of a compound in a sample. Finally the present invention includes a kit comprising the biosynthetic device obtained by the method of the present invention.