Molecular Species

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Summary: This invention is a set of sensitive fluorescent sensors designed to detect a wide range of metals, metalloids, and organic compounds in vapor phase and in solution. These oligodeoxyriboside fluorophore (ODF) sensors are built on a DNA backbone, replacing the DNA bases with a variety of compounds that can be rapidly assembled in discrete lengths on a DNA synthesizer. The libraries of thousands of sensors are constructed using combinatorial methods and screened for sensing ability under a microscope. Because these water-soluble sensors contain over a dozen different fluorophores, they have a great diversity and are able to distinguish many chemical species. In addition, the fluorescence of all ODF sensors can be read simultaneously, with one light source and filter set.   Applications: Sensor molecules for detection of: organic compounds in the vapor phase, including ODF’s to generate patterns of responses to constitute an "artificial nose" metals, including most of the metals and metalloids in the periodic table other species Sensor arrays for detection of many species simultaneously   Advantages: Easy synthesis - ODF sensors can be easily and rapidly constructed on an automated DNA synthesizer Diversity of molecules - combinatorial techniques are used to generate thousands of different molecules that can detect a wide variety of molecular species Sensitive detection - fluorescence offers greater sensitivity and dynamic range than simple absorbance-based methods Simple detection - fluorescence of all ODF sensors can be read simultaneously, with one light source and filter set