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Updated: May 24, 2025
Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Detection of Biomolecules Using EBL Fabricated Nanostructured Substrates
Published on: March 20, 2015
Development and application of multivalent nanobody-functionalized plasmonic probes in SERS sensing platforms
Jing Wang1, Quan Zhou2, Kym Lowry3
1Key Laboratory of OptoElectronic Science and Technology for Medicine of Ministry of Education, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Photonics Technology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350117, China; Centre for Personalized Nanomedicine, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
We developed a novel MultiValent Probe (MVP) for sensitive detection of protein biomarkers using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) immunoassays. This SERS-microfluidic approach shows promise for diagnosing viral pathogens like SARS-CoV-2.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Analytical Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) immunoassays offer sensitive protein biomarker detection but face challenges with traditional antibody probes.
- Developing effective and versatile antibody probes for SERS is difficult due to issues with natural protein recognition and probe conjugation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To engineer a novel MultiValent Probe (MVP) using multivalent nanobodies and Raman reporter-coated nanoboxes for enhanced SERS immunoassay performance.
- To integrate the MVP with a microfluidic chip for a SERS-microfluidic immunoassay system.
- To demonstrate the MVP-based assay's capability in detecting SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins and virions in clinical samples.
Main Methods:
- Engineered multivalent nanobodies for high-affinity protein targeting and gold-silver alloy nanoboxes for signal readout.
- Characterized the MVP using nanoparticle tracking analysis, nanoflow cytometry, and differential centrifugal sedimentation.
- Integrated MVP with a nanomixing-enhanced microfluidic chip for SERS-microfluidic immunoassay development.
Main Results:
- The MVP demonstrated precise antigen recognition and exceptional affinity.
- The MVP-based SERS-microfluidic immunoassay detected SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins and virions from multiple strains in clinical nasopharyngeal samples.
- Achieved 84.6% concordance with RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 detection.
Conclusions:
- The MultiValent Probe (MVP) offers a promising alternative to traditional antibody probes for SERS immunoassays.
- The integrated MVP-SERS-microfluidic system shows high potential for rapid diagnostics of pandemic diseases and other viral pathogens.
- This technology enables cost-effective, large-scale production of probes for broad diagnostic applications.
