Patent ID: 6579726
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: B82Y,C12Q,G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of detecting a target analyte in a test solution suspected of containing said target analyte, the method comprising:(a) providing a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) substrate, comprising a metal film, and a first ligand having a specific affinity for said target analyte immobilized to said SPR substrate, said SPR substrate having a characteristic SPR profile; (b) providing a colloidal metal nanoparticle, said metal nanoparticle conjugated to a second ligand having a specific affinity for said target analyte; (c) contacting said SPR substrate with said test solution and said colloidal metal nanoparticle, wherein the binding of said target analyte to said first ligand and said second ligand leads to the adsorption of said metal nanoparticle onto said SPR substrate, and wherein the adsorption of said nanoparticle leads to a nanoparticle-dependent change in said characteristic SPR profile of said SPR substrate; and (d) detecting said change in said characteristic SPR profile of said SPR substrate, whereby said target analyte is detected.