Method for Bio-Sensing a Binding Ability Among a Biomolecule and a Virus Using Viral-Lasing Detection Probes

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This invention provides a new method for detecting the binding interactions between biomolecules (like antibodies or proteins) and viruses with greatly enhanced sensitivity. Instead of traditional fluorescence-based probes, it attaches fluorescent dyes to viruses (such as M13 bacteriophage), then excites these viral probes with light in a special optical setup that produces a laser-like signal. When the virus binds to the target biomolecule, this lasing signal changes dramatically, creating a highly amplified, easily detectable response that overcomes the sensitivity limitations of conventional bioassays.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Medical diagnostics: detecting disease biomarkers (proteins, antibodies, cells) at very low concentrations in blood or other samples.
• Drug discovery: screening for binding activity between candidate drugs and target biomolecules.
• Point-of-care testing: rapid, highly sensitive assays for infectious diseases or other clinical conditions.
• Environmental monitoring: detecting trace amounts of toxins or contaminants which interact with target biomolecules.
• Research in synthetic biology and protein engineering: characterizing new interactions between engineered proteins, antibodies, or viruses.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Ultra-high sensitivity: signal amplifies over 500,000% for modest increases in probe concentration, enabling detection at clinically relevant (very low) biomolecule levels.
• Nonlinear, laser-based readout provides a clear, digital-like threshold (on/off) response, greatly reducing background noise.
• Can be adapted for a wide range of biomolecule targets (proteins, nucleic acids, whole cells) thanks to programmable viral probes.
• Compatible with existing fluorescence measurement equipment, facilitating integration into current lab infrastructure.
• Simplifies workflow: eliminates need for wash steps or probe immobilization, enabling 'mix-and-measure' assays with faster and less hands-on time.
• Genetically tunable platform: the viral probes and their optical properties can be engineered or programmed for custom targets and performance.

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Patent Abstract

The selective amplification of DNA in PCR is used to exponentially increase the signal in molecular diagnostics for nucleic acids, but there are no analogous techniques for signal enhancement in clinical tests for proteins or cells. Instead, the signal from affinity-based measurements of these biomolecules depends linearly on the probe concentration. Substituting antibody-based probes tagged for fluorescent quantification with lasing detection probes would enable a new platform for biomarker quantification based on optical amplification. Here, we construct a viral laser which bridges synthetic biology and laser physics, and demonstrate viral-lasing probes for bio-sensing. At the transition to lasing, the photon flux from the probes increases by five orders of magnitude and narrows the spectral linewidth to below 5.0 nm. Viral-lasing probes display an unprecedented > 500,000 % increase in signal from only a 50 % increase in probe concentration, using fluorimeter-compatible optics, and can detect biomolecules at clinically-relevant concentrations.