Patent ID: 6537441
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: C07K,G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of fabricating a biosensor in which there is at least one discrete zone linked to a ligand reactive with an analyte of interest and at least one discrete zone free of said ligand, the method comprising the following steps:(i) providing a conductive substrate; (ii) forming a membrane having an inner layer proximate a conductive substrate and an outer layer remote from the conductive substrate, the membrane comprising membrane spanning lipids and ion channels, the ion channels comprising first and second half membrane spanning monomers, the first half membrane spanning monomers being provided in the inner layer and the second half spanning monomers being provided in the outer layer, the membrane being attached to the conductive substrate in a manner such that a functioning reservoir exists between the membrane and the conductive substrate; (iii) linking a ligand reactive with an analyte of interest to the ion channel and linking a ligand reactive with an analyte of interest to the membrane spanning lipids via photocleavable linkers; and (iv) exposing at least one discrete zone of the membrane to a focused light source to cleave the photocleavable linkers therefrom thereby releasing the reactive ligands from the ion channel and membrane spanning lipids to form at least one discrete zone free of the reactive ligand and at least one zone linked to said reactive ligand.