Substrates, devices, and methods for quantitative liquid crystal assays

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of molecular diagnostics, and in particular to diagnostics based on a liquid crystal assay format. In particular, the present invention provided improved substrates and methods of using liquid crystal assays for quantitating the amount of an analyte in a sample. The present invention also provides materials and methods for detecting non-specific binding of an analyte to a substrate by using a liquid crystal assay format.

1 . A system for detecting an analyte in a sample comprising:
 a. at least one substrate having a surface comprising recognition moieties;   b. a mesogenic layer oriented on said surface;   c. electrodes configured to apply an electrical field across said surface.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said system further comprises an interface between said mesogenic layer and a member selected from the group consisting of gases, liquids, solids, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said recognition moiety is attached to said surface by an interaction which is a member selected from the group consisting of covalent bonding, ionic bonding, chemisorption, physisorption, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said surface further comprises an organic layer. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein said recognition moiety is attached to said organic layer by an interaction which is a member selected from the group consisting of covalent bonding, ionic bonding, chemisorption, physisorption, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said mesogenic layer comprises a polymeric mesogen. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said mesogenic layer comprises mesogens selected from the group consisting of 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl, N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-4-butlyaniline and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said mesogenic layer comprises a lyotropic liquid crystal. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said surface is a metal surface. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said metal surface is selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, palladium, copper, nickel, silver, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of flexible substrates, rigid substrates, optically opaque substrates, optically transparent substrates, conducting substrates, semiconducting substrates, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of inorganic crystals, inorganic glasses, inorganic oxides, metals, organic polymers, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein said organic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride, polydimethylsiloxane, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyurethane, polyisocyanoacrylate, epoxy and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said analyte is selected from the group consisting of polypeptides, polynucleotides, organic analytes, and pathogens. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said recognition moiety is selected from the group consisting of polynucleotides, antigen binding molecules, and polypeptides.