Chemiluminescence assay for the detection of biological warfare agents

Technical Report · Fri Nov 05 00:00:00 EST 1999

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/15013394· OSTI ID:15013394

Langry, K; Horn, J

A chemiluminescent homogeneous immunoassay and a hand-size multiassay reader are described that could be used for detecting biological materials. The special feature of the assay is that it employs two different antibodies that each bind to a unique epitope on the same antigen. Each group of epitope-specific antibodies has linked to it an enzyme of a proximal-enzyme pair. One enzyme of the pair utilizes a substrate in high concentration to produce a second substrate required by the second enzyme. This new substrate enables the second enzyme to function. The reaction of the second enzyme is configured to produce light. This chemiluminescence is detected with a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. The proximal pair enzymes must be in close proximity to one another to allow the second enzyme to react with the product of the first enzyme. This only occurs when the enzyme-linked antibodies are attached to the antigen, whether antigen is a single protein with multiple epitopes or the surface of a cell with a variety of different antigens. As a result of their juxtaposition, the enzymes produce light only in the presence of the biological material. A brief description is given as to how this assay could be utilized in a personal bio-agent detector system.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 15013394
• Report Number(s): UCRL-ID-136797; TRN: US200601%%378
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ANTIBODIES
ANTIGENS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WARFARE AGENTS
CHARGE-COUPLED DEVICES
CHEMILUMINESCENCE
DETECTION
ENZYMES
IMMUNOASSAY
PROTEINS
SUBSTRATES