Out-licensing

Functionalised Metal Nanoparticles as Bacteria Diagnostic and Detection Kits: Direct Method to Visualize the Target Receptors on the Cell Surface

This invention describes the preparation, characterization and biological applications of carbohydrate encapsulated metal nanoparticles (m-NP). m-NP is well dispersed and very stable without aggregation in the media of broad ion strength and pH ranges. The selective binding of m-NP to the mannose adhesin FimH of bacterial type 1 pili is demonstrated using transmission electron microscopy. The competition assay with free mannose suggests that m-NP binds FimH better than free mannose does.

Conclusion

This invention demonstrates that carbohydrate attached nanoparticles can be used as an efficient visual labelling reagent and diagnostic kit in a biological system.

Relevance/Opportunity

Our invention includes ligand functionalised gold nanoparticles as direct detectors of their receptors in a living cell system. Please enquire if you are interested in forming licensing or codevelopment partnerships quoting reference no. 03A-910313.

Preclinical

US pending