| abstract |
This invention comprises novel particle structures which can have receptor molecules attached thereto. The structures are useful for Raman spectroscopic analyses of analytes in complex solutions containing molecules of interest. In certain embodiments of this invention, the receptor molecules can be lacking in a Raman signal generating moiety that is present in an analyte molecule, so that binding of the analyte to the receptor provides the array with the Raman signal generating moiety. Analytes that can be detected using these methods include nucleic acids, proteins, and other molecules that can specifically bind to the arrays. Particle structures are disclosed that enhance the Raman signal produced by an analyte through surface and resonance phenomena. Novel methods are presented for manufacturing particle structures and for attaching receptor molecules to areas of enhanced resonance on the particle structures, thereby producing Raman signals that can be used for highly specific, sensitive assays of biological molecules. |