High Density protein nanoarray - Isis Project No 3310

A self-assembly approach to low-cost, high-density transmembrane protein nanoarrays for use in proteomics and drug discovery.

Marketing Opportunity

Although DNA array technology is well developed, the protein equivalent is still in its infancy.  Developments made by University of Oxford and NTT scientists show potential to deliver low-cost and high-density protein arrays via a self-assembly method, offering an excellent opportunity to companies engaged in proteomics and drug discovery.

The products are envisaged as arrays fully loaded with transmembrane proteins in known locations, or the unloaded arrays with a range of transmembrane protein-bearing vesicles in solution for the purchaser to load on to an array.

The Oxford Invention

Protein nanoarray technology is fast becoming an integral part of many drug screening programmes. Approximately 60% of drug targets are transmembrane proteins, but current nanoarray technology involves attaching these proteins directly to the substrate, damaging the protein’s functionality and yielding data of questionable utility. University of Oxford and Nippon Telephone and Telegraph (NTT) researchers have developed a method of creating transmembrane protein nanoarrays with the following key benefits:

• Increased density of array elements - 10⁹ protein-bearing nanodots are covered by a 10µl droplet, allowing for a lower compound requirement than with existing arrays.
• Lower manufacturing cost - unloaded nanodots self-assemble on a glass substrate; expensive lithographic processes used in current array technologies are not required.
• No loss of protein functionality expected - proteins retain their natural conformation in a lipid bilayer and are not affected by the substrate.

Self-assembly of the vesicle nanoarray involves three steps, shown in the Atomic Force Microscopy images on the left. Firstly, gold nanodots are formed by the self-assembly of gold along silicon steps (Figure 1).  Next, vesicles are formed with gold-affinity head groups (Figure 2; transmembrane proteins may be inserted into these). Finally, the vesicle and nanodot array are brought together in solution forming the loaded protein nanoarray (Figure 3).

Patent Status

The Invention is the subject of a published patent application and peer-reviewed paper. Isis would like to talk to companies interested in developing the commercial opportunity. Please contact the Isis Project Manager.

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