Method for attachment of silylated molecules to glass surfaces

Abstract

A method for the efficient immobilization of silylated molecules such as silylated oligonucleotides or proteins onto unmodified surfaces such as a glass surface is provided. Also provided are compounds, devices, and kits for modifying surfaces such as glass surfaces.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application No. 60 / 383,564, filed May 28, 2003, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Surface modification plays an important role in micro-array biomolecule detection technology for controlling backgrounds and spot morphology. Several modifications were developed using different type of commercially available silanes such as silyl amines, aldehydes, thiols etc. for immobilization of biomolecules such as oligonucleotides. After coating the surface with reactive silanes, the next challenge is immobilization of required biomolecules on the modified surface. The surface loadings always vary with different silanes and even same silane may not give reproducible results. Reproducibility of optimum surface loading has always been a great challenge in this field since surface loading dictates the performance of the assay. Even with simple linear molecules for immobi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] The present invention fulfills the need in the art for methods for the attachment of molecules such as oligonucleotides onto unmodified surfaces such as a glass surface without the need for laborious synthetic steps, with increase surface loading densities, and with greater reproducibility and which avoids the need for pre-surface modifications. Molecules such as DNA can be silylated at either the 3′ or 5′ ends as discussed below and the 3′ or 5′-silylated DNA may then be covalently attached directly to a surface such as a pre-cleaned glass surface (Scheme) for use in hybridization assays. Furthermore, thorough the use of certain silylating reagents, it is now possible to further enhance surface loading densities by using modified silylating agents having multiple molecules attached thereto. The present invention thus provides novel methods for attaching molecules onto a substrate, devices prepared by such methods, and compositions. This method provides great advantages over the present technology in terms of simplicity, cost, speed, safety, and reproducibility.

[0013] (c) contacting the second reactive intermediate with said surface so as to immobilized the molecule onto said surface. The method allows for the production of branched captured molecules structures such as branched oligonucleotides on a surface which is useful for enhancing detection of target analytes such as nucleic acids.

Problems solved by technology

After coating the surface with reactive silanes, the next challenge is immobilization of required biomolecules on the modified surface.

The surface loadings always vary with different silanes and even same silane may not give reproducible results.

Reproducibility of optimum surface loading has always been a great challenge in this field since surface loading dictates the performance of the assay.

Even with simple linear molecules for immobilization, the optimum loading on the surface is difficult to achieve.

All these reported methods involve silylating step which uses expensive reagents and analytical tools.

Also, these methods are also multi-step processes that are labor intensive and expensive8-9.

Earlier reported methods have involved a laborious synthesis and time consuming procedure7.

Indeed, many of the current immobilization methods suffer from one or more of a number of disadvantages.

Some of these are, complex and expensive reaction schemes with low oligonucleotide loading yields, reactive unstable intermediates prone to side reactions and unfavorable hybridization kinetics of the immobilized oligonucleotide.

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