title: Direct detection of bacterial genomic DNA using gold nanoparticle probes.
abstract: The molecular probes and associated instrumentation necessary to perform genetic analyses are typically expensive, complex, and prone to error. While techniques such as real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gene expression analysis have provided a wealth of information previously unattainable, their utility in clinical diagnostics has yet to be realized due to the aforementioned limitations. Nanosphere Inc. has developed a gold nanoparticle-based platform for sequence specific DNA detection that is well-suited for clinical diagnostics due to its cost-effectiveness, simplicity, and accuracy. Thirteen nanometer gold nanoparticle probes, stabilized by a shell of oligonucleotides using proprietary attachment chemistries, enable highly sensitive and specific detection of bacterial genomic DNA sequences without synthetic amplification techniques on a glass array. After silver staining, light scattered by the nanoparticle probes is collected with robust, cost-effective instrumentation. It is the unique features of Nanosphere's detection methodology that provide the necessary steps forward to allow for genetic analyses to become part of routine clinical diagnostics.
authors.affiliation: Nanosphere Inc., Northbrook, IL, USA.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Buckingham
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Domanus
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hetzel
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kunkel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Storhoff
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cork