Abstract

From Microarrays to Nanoarrays: Measuring Hybridisation on Single Molecule Probes

Jens Sobek, Research Scientist, University of Zurich

Microarray technology is a story of success for about 20 years now. In an incalculable number of publications many fascinating applications were reported covering (nearly) all classes of probes and samples. The disadvantages are also known and apparent, ranging from tedious spotting, effects of probe surface density, to the difficulties generating kinetic data, to name a few. Applying a new technology, we are trying to find new ways in order to overcome some of the limitations intrinsic to microarraying. Using the example of hybridisation of short oligonucleotides, we are studying the kinetics of molecular interactions of a single probe molecule immobilised on a chip surface. The chip consists of nanostructures of about 100 nm diameter which creates a reaction volume in the order of some zeptoliter (10-21 L). Using 160000 of these nanostructures on a chip in parallel, we are aiming for reducing microarray spots with respect to the number of immobilised molecules from about 10^12 to 1, and performing experiments with a single molecule per nanostructure.