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Technology Transfer from the University of Oxford

Universal Fluorescent Sensors - Isis Project No 693 and 1037

A novel procedure, for the generation of fluorescent sensors capable of detecting a wide range of compounds.

Marketing Opportunity

There is an increasing requirement to detect a wide range of compounds with high sensitivity and specificity. Molecular reporters using Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) has previously been demonstrated for calcium using Calmodulin and a Calmodulin-binding peptide as linkers between two fluorescent proteins. This approach has two main drawbacks: (1) It has a very small dynamic range (2) It cannot detect small conformational changes.

The challenge to further development of this area is identification of a new method to generate more versatile fluorescent sensors, which are able to operate at higher sensitivity and lower detection levels than existing ones.

The Oxford Invention

The Oxford Invention provides for the first time a novel method of generating highly sensitive, highly specific, fluorescent sensors. The Oxford Invention is inexpensive and simple. The range of probes that can be generated by the invention, is limited, only by the number of interacting binding sites that can be characterised - this number is growing daily.

These probes can potentially be used to detect:

  • Metabolites, drugs and toxins in blood
  • Contaminants in water/foodstuff
  • Environmental pollutants

Design and principle of operation of the new probes

A. In the absence of the target compound, the mimic peptide binds to the target-site peptide. The flexible linker allows the two fluorophores to approach each other and a high level of FRET results.

B. The target molecule competes with the mimic for the target-binding site causing separation of the two fluorophores and a decrease in FRET.

Patent Status

This work is the subject of two patent applications, and Isis would like to talk to companies interested in developing the commercial opportunity that this represents. Please contact the Isis Project Manager to discuss this further.

Request Further Information: Project Numbers 693 and 1037 - Universal Fluorescent Sensors