Surface plasmon resonance sensors for detection of survival of motor neuron protein

Abstract

ABSTRACT Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) spectroscopy is a potentially valuable tool for measuring protein-protein inte ractions and protein levels in vitro and in vivo . Fiber-optic based SPR allows for rapid quantitative meas urement of disease markers such as the truncated (exons 1-7) survival of motor ne uron (SMN) protein. Un like micro fluidics-based SPR systems, sample loss is eliminated in fiber-optic SPR and the small size of the fiber optic probes (400 P m or smaller) facilitate s the potential for use in vivo . Recombinant SMN protein overexpressed in E. Coli as well as native SMN from cultured HeLa cells has been successfully measured using fiber-optic SPR. Keywords: SPR, Fiber optics, Spinal Mu scular Atrophy, Survival of Motor Neuron Protein 1. INTRODUCTION The optical phenomenon of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) has many applications ranging from the analysis of biomaterials to environmental inspection. The technique of SPR is based on and electromagnetic phenom enon that is capable of monitoring RIs