Sol-Gel Biochip Composition for Probe Immobilization Without Surface Treatment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protein chip technologies face challenges in immobilizing proteins on glass substrates due to denaturation, inactivation, and degradation, and require surface treatment, which limits their application and increases costs, especially for mass production and substrates that cannot be coated.
Innovation Solution
A method for screening a sol composition that can strongly bind to surface-untreated substrates, such as PMMA, gold, and silicon wafers, using a mixture of silicate monomers and additives, allowing for the immobilization of probes with high adhesion and specificity without the need for surface treatment, and maintaining protein activity during intense washing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If surface treatment is applied to glass substrate to immobilize proteins, then adhesion strength is improved, but protein activity is reduced due to denaturation and inactivation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sol-gel composition as an intermediary layer between the glass substrate and proteins. This composition contains silicate monomers and additives that form a gel matrix, providing a gentle immobilization environment that maintains protein activity while ensuring strong adhesion to the substrate without direct contact between proteins and harsh surface treatments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the immobilization matrix by using specific silicate monomers (TMOS, MTMOS, TEOS, TMS, MTMS, 3-ATMS) combined with additives (PGS, DGS, GPTMOS, PEOU, glycerol, PEG) in optimized ratios. This parameter optimization creates a gel structure with appropriate porosity and chemical properties that preserves protein conformation and activity while ensuring stable immobilization.
2Reliability
If surface treatment is applied to glass substrate, then protein immobilization is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex surface treatment step from the traditional protein chip fabrication process. By using the sol-gel composition that can self-assemble and form a gel matrix directly on the substrate, the method removes the need for separate surface modification steps, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining effective protein immobilization.
3Strength
If surface treatment is applied to enable protein immobilization, then adhesion is improved, but production cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a cost-effective sol-gel composition formulation using readily available silicate monomers and common additives. The composition is designed to be used in a single application step that simultaneously provides adhesion promotion and immobilization matrix formation, eliminating the need for expensive repeated surface treatments and reducing overall production costs.
4Measurement precision
If intense washing is performed to remove non-specific binding, then assay specificity is improved, but protein activity is reduced due to detachment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides beforehand cushioning by creating a robust gel matrix structure using optimized sol-gel composition before protein immobilization. The gel network, formed by the cross-linked silicate structure and incorporated additives, provides mechanical support and protective cushioning that prevents protein detachment during intense washing steps, thereby maintaining both assay specificity and protein activity.
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 method enables the creation of sol-gel biochips with high immobilization rates and specificity, suitable for various substrates, reducing costs and enabling mass production, while maintaining protein activity and providing effective assay results.
Implementation Method 1
A method for screening a sol composition for sol-gel biochips, which is used to immobilize a probe on a surface-untreated substrate
Implementation Method 2
Sol composition for sol-gel biochip to immobilize probe on substrate
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for screening a sol composition for sol-gel biochips, which is used to immobilize a probe on a surface-untreated substrate, also relates to a sol composition screened by said method and a sol-gel biochip comprising said sol composition immobilized thereon. The sol composition screened by the disclosed method can be mixed with a probe, and the sol mixture can be integrated on 96-well plates, which are widely used in existing bioassays, without surface treatment. Also, the biochip can provide a sensitive and specific good analysis results because this immobilization methods of probe maintain the nature of probes without modification.