Protein Capture Membrane with Reactive Coating for High-Throughput Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a lack of practical, cost-effective, high-throughput techniques for identifying and quantifying proteins in complex mixtures, which creates a bottleneck in biotechnology and medical research.
Innovation Solution
A protein capture membrane with a porous substrate coated with a protein-reactive coating, such as silane derivatives, is used to capture and detect proteins through electrophoretic transfer and binding, allowing for repeated analysis and high-throughput detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional protein detection methods are used, then proteins can be identified and quantified, but the process is time-consuming, costly, and lacks high-throughput capability
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a porous membrane with controlled pore sizes (50-500 nm) that allows simultaneous passage and capture of multiple proteins. The porous structure provides high surface area for protein interaction while maintaining flow-through capability, enabling parallel processing of multiple samples and proteins in a single operation, thus achieving high-throughput detection without time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane system integrates multiple functions into a single platform: protein capture, separation, detection, and quantification. The universal membrane can detect various proteins simultaneously using different detection modalities (fluorescence, chemiluminescence, colorimetric), eliminating the need for multiple separate assays and significantly improving productivity while reducing analysis time
2Productivity
If conventional protein detection methods are used, then proteins can be detected, but the cost is high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses disposable porous membranes that can be mass-produced at low cost using standard filtration and coating techniques. These single-use membranes eliminate the need for expensive, complex instrumentation and reduce contamination risks, making high-throughput protein detection cost-effective while maintaining high detection efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane system creates physical copies of protein samples through electrophoretic transfer, allowing simultaneous analysis of multiple copies of the same sample. This copying approach enables parallel processing and increases detection efficiency without requiring expensive replication equipment or multiple original samples
3Measurement precision
If proteins are captured on the membrane, then detection sensitivity is improved, but the membrane complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The membrane employs local quality by incorporating specific functional groups (nitrocellulose, PVDF, or nylon) in specific regions or layers to enhance protein binding affinity and detection sensitivity. The porous structure provides localized high-surface-area regions for protein capture while maintaining overall structural simplicity, achieving enhanced sensitivity without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane system is segmented into distinct functional layers: a porous support structure, a protein-binding layer, and a detection layer. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently for its specific function while maintaining overall system simplicity, improving detection sensitivity through specialized functionality in each segment without requiring complex integration
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
Enables efficient and cost-effective identification and quantification of proteins in complex mixtures, facilitating rapid and multiplexed protein detection with improved throughput and sensitivity.
Implementation Method 1
electrophoretically transferring the at least one protein of interest to the porous substrate
Implementation Method 2
the interstices are coated with a protein-reactive coating
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, the invention provides a protein capture membrane comprising a first side and a second side and a plurality of interstices extending contiguously from the first side to the second side, wherein the interstices are coated with a protein-reactive coating; and the porous substrate comprises nanoporous alumina or porous glass. In another aspect the invention provides a method of detecting a protein of interest in a plurality of proteins.