| abstract |
SERS technology is used for high throughput screening of biological analytes and samples. For polynucleotide sequencing, sets of oligonucleotide probes are labeled with composite organic-inorganic nanoparticles (COIN) that produce distinguishable SERS signals when excited by a laser. Detection of a hybridization complex containing members of two such COIN-labeled probe sets will reveal a 12 nucleotide sequence segment of the target polynucleotide. Also provided are surface-modified arrays and chips with multiple arrays to which sets of probe-conjugated COIN or other reporter substrates are immobilized. Analytes are detected by contacting a sample, such as a bodily fluid, with the array-anchored probes. Captured analytes are tagged with an additional target-specific Raman-active tag. Two or more Raman signatures emanating from the detection complexes reveal the identity of the captured analytes. |