NU 2012-160

Inventors

Emily Que

Theresa Woodruff*

Thomas O'Halloran*

Short Description

Novel chemical sensor for zinc that can be used to monitor this ion in cells and the extracellular environment

Abstract

Researchers from Northwestern University have developed a new class of fluorescent zinc sensors, called ZincBYs, which can detect nanomolar concentrations of zinc ions within cells. Cells tightly control levels of zinc as it is involved in many essential processes, like fertilization, glucose homeostasis and oncogenesis. For these reasons, biologists in various fields study zinc modulation in cells and tissues using fluorescent molecules for detection. However, the issue with current reagents is that they must be used at micromolar concentrations to achieve detection as they depend on a zinc chelation mechanism. Such high concentrations of zinc-binding molecules can lead to experimental error, by inducing alterations to normal cell physiology. Unlike other zinc sensing molecules, ZincBYs can be used for extracellular zinc tracking and are compatible with flow cytometry equipment. ZincBYs are not only more sensitive, but can also be chemically modified to customize their chemical properties to fit with specific experimental conditions. These favorable characteristics could make the ZincBY sensors a preferred reagent among cell biologists, as well as allow for their further development into diagnostics.

Applications

• Zinc sensing and tracking in cells and the extracellular environment
• Research tool
• Diagnostic device development

Advantages

• High sensitivity
• Reduced chance of experimental error
• Compatible with flow cytometry
  

Publication
Que EL, Bleher R, Duncan FE, Kong BY, Gleber SC, Vogt S, Chen S, Garwin SA, Bayer AR, Dravid VP, Woodruff TK, O'Halloran TV (2015) Quantitative Mapping of Zinc Fluxes in the Mammalian Egg Reveals the Origin of Fertilization-Induced Zinc Sparks, Nature Chemistry, 7: 130-139.

IP Status

US patent application has been filed.