Fluorescent silica nano-particle, fluorescent nano-material, and biochip and assay using the same

1. Colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound, composed of a silica particle comprising a silica component and a fluorescent dye compound chemically bound or adsorbed thereto,

wherein the colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound have an average diameter of 30 nm or less; and

wherein the fluorescent dye compound is represented by any one of the following Formulae (1) to (3):

wherein each X independently represents CR 3 R 4 ; each Y independently represents an atom or group selected from a hydrogen atom, hydrocarbon groups, and heteroatom-containing functional groups; either of R 1 or R 2 represents a group binding to the silica component covalently or a hydrocarbon group containing the group, and the other represents a hydrocarbon group that may have a functional group; each of R 3 and R 4 is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group, and at least one of them is a hydrocarbon group; and n is 1 or 2; and

wherein, R 11 and R 21 each represent a group binding throughout the silica component covalently;

and further wherein the surface of the silica particles is modified with a substance specifically binding to or adsorbed to a target biomolecule and

fluorescence of the silica particles is resistant to photobleaching.

2. The colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound according to claim 1 , wherein at least one kind of the fluorescent dye compound is dispersed inside of each of the silica particles.

3. The colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound according to claim 1 , wherein a fluorescence of the silica particles is yellow fluorescence, orange fluorescence or red fluorescence.

4. The colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound according to claim 1 , wherein the silica particles each have amino, hydroxyl, thiol, carboxyl, maleimide and/or succinimidyl ester groups on a surface of each of the particles.

5. The colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound according to claim 1 ,

wherein the colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound are used for a biochip as fluorescent-labelling nanobeads,

wherein the nanobeads increase brightness as compared with a free fluorescent dye compound; and

wherein a fluorescence of the nanobeads that is resistant to photobleaching.

6. A fluorescent nano-material, comprising the colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound according to claim 1 .

7. A biochip, comprising the colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound according to claim 1 as fluorescent-labelling nanobeads,

wherein the nanobeads increase brightness as compared with a free fluorescent dye compound; and

wherein a fluorescence of the nanobeads that is resistant to photobleaching.

8. A method of detecting or quantifying a biomolecule, comprising the steps of:

allowing a target biomolecule-recognizing molecule immobilized on a substrate to molecularly recognize a target biomolecule,

allowing colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound composed of a silica particle comprising a silica component and a fluorescent dye compound, wherein the colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound have an average diameter of 30 nm or less, wherein the fluorescent dye compound is dispersed inside of the whole silica particle including inside and in a region close to a surface of the silica particle, and wherein said colloidal silica particles have been surface-modified with a second substance that recognizes a first molecular-recognition substance to recognize the target biomolecule after molecular recognition by the target biomolecule-recognizing molecule immobilized on the substrate, and

detecting or quantifying a fluorescence from the colloidal silica particles on the substrate; and

wherein the target biomolecule in a sample is modified with the first molecular-recognition substance,

wherein the fluorescent dye compound is represented by any one of the following Formulae (1) to (3):

wherein each X independently represents CR 3 R 4 ; each Y independently represents an atom or group selected from a hydrogen atom, hydrocarbon groups, and heteroatom-containing functional groups; either of R 1 or R 2 represents a group binding the silica component covalently or a hydrocarbon group containing the group, and the other represents a hydrocarbon group that may have a functional group; each of R 3 and R 4 is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group, and at least one of them is a hydrocarbon group; and n is 1 or 2; and

wherein, R 11 and R 21 each represent a group covalently binding throughout the silica component.

9. The method of detecting or quantifying a biomolecule according to claim 8 , wherein the combination of the first molecular-recognition substance and the second substance is any one combination selected from the group consisting of the following items (a) to (i):

(a) the first molecular-recognition substance is an antigen and the second substance is an antibody;

(b) the first molecular-recognition substance is an antibody and the second substance is an antigen;

(c) the first molecular-recognition substance is biotin and the second substance is avidin or streptavidin;

(d) the first molecular-recognition substance is avidin or streptavidin and the second substance is biotin;

(e) the first molecular-recognition substance is a sugar or polysaccharide and the second substance is a sugar-binding protein binding to the sugar or polysaccharide specifically;

(f) the first molecular-recognition substance is a sugar-binding protein and the second substance is a sugar or polysaccharide binding to the protein specifically;

(g) the first molecular-recognition substance is a ligand and the second substance is a receptor binding to the ligand specifically;

(h) the first molecular-recognition substance is a receptor and the second substance is a ligand binding to the receptor specifically; and

(i) the first molecular-recognition substance is a chemical substance and the second substance is an antibody or peptide binding to the substance specifically.

10. A method of detecting or quantifying a biomolecule using a double antibody sandwich system, comprising

binding an antibody to a surface of colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound composed of a silica particle comprising a silica component and a fluorescent dye compound, wherein the colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound have an average diameter of 30 nm or less, wherein the fluorescent dye compound is dispersed inside of the whole silica particle including inside and in a region close to a surface of the silica particle, and wherein the antibody recognizes an antibody recognition site of a target biomolecule,

exposing an antigen with affinity for the antibody to the antibody bound to the surface of the colloidal silica particles, and

detecting or quantifying fluorescence from the colloidal silica particles that are bound to the antigen and the antibody,

wherein the fluorescent dye compound is represented by any one of the following Formulae (1) to (3):

wherein each X independently represents CR 3 R 4 ; each Y independently represents an atom or group selected from a hydrogen atom, hydrocarbon groups, and heteroatom-containing functional groups; either of R 1 or R 2 represents a group binding the silica component covalently or a hydrocarbon group containing the group, and the other represents a hydrocarbon group that may have a functional group; each of R 3 and R 4 is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group, and at least one of them is a hydrocarbon group; and n is 1 or 2; and

wherein, R 11 and R 21 each represent a group covalently binding throughout the silica component.

11. A method of detecting or quantifying a biomolecule, comprising the steps of:

labelling a target biomolecule in a sample with colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound composed of a silica particle comprising a silica component and a fluorescent dye compound, wherein the colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound have an average diameter of 30 nm or less, wherein the fluorescent dye compound is dispersed inside of the whole silica particle including inside and in a region close to a surface of the silica particle, and wherein said colloidal silica particles are,

allowing a target biomolecule-recognizing molecule immobilized on a substrate to molecularly recognize the target biomolecule labelled with the colloidal silica particles, and

detecting or quantifying a fluorescence form the colloidal silica particles on the substrate,

wherein the fluorescent dye compound is represented by any one of the following Formulae (1) to (3):

wherein each X independently represents CR 3 R 4 ; each Y independently represents an atom or group selected from a hydrogen atom, hydrocarbon groups, and heteroatom-containing functional groups; either of R 1 or R 2 represents a group binding the silica component covalently or a hydrocarbon group containing the group, and the other represents a hydrocarbon group that may have a functional group; each of R 3 and R 4 is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group, and at least one of them is a hydrocarbon group; and n is 1 or 2; and

wherein, R 11 and R 21 each represent a group covalently binding throughout the silica component.

12. The method of detecting or quantifying a biomolecule according to claim 8 , wherein the target biomolecule is an antigen, an antibody, a DNA, a RNA, a sugar, a polysaccharide, a ligand, a receptor, a peptide or a chemical substance.

13. The method of detecting or quantifying a biomolecule according to claim 10 , wherein the target biomolecule is an antigen, an antibody, a DNA, a RNA, a sugar, a polysaccharide, a ligand, a receptor, a peptide or a chemical substance.

14. The method of detecting or quantifying a biomolecule according to claim 11 , wherein the target biomolecule is an antigen, an antibody, a DNA, a RNA, a sugar, a polysaccharide, a ligand, a receptor, a peptide or a chemical substance.

15. A method of detecting or quantifying a DNA or RNA, comprising the steps of:

labelling a target DNA or RNA in a sample with colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound composed of a silica particle comprising a silica component and a fluorescent dye compound, wherein the colloidal silica particles containing a fluorescent dye compound have an average diameter of 30 nm or less,

allowing the above-labelled target DNA or RNA to hybridize with a DNA or RNA immobilized on a substrate, and

detecting or quantifying a fluorescence label signal from the colloidal silica particles on the substrate,

wherein the fluorescent dye compound is represented by any one of the following Formulae (1) to (3):

wherein each X independently represents CR 3 R 4 ; each Y independently represents an atom or group selected from a hydrogen atom, hydrocarbon groups, and heteroatom-containing functional groups; either of R 1 or R 2 represents a group binding the silica component covalently or a hydrocarbon group containing the group, and the other represents a hydrocarbon group that may have a functional group; each of R 3 and R 4 is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group, and at least one of them is a hydrocarbon group; and n is 1 or 2; and

wherein, R 11 and R 21 each represent a group covalently binding throughout the silica component.

16. The method of detecting or quantifying a biomolecule according to claim 8 , wherein two or more kinds of target biomolecules are detected or quantified simultaneously.

17. The method of detecting or quantifying a biomolecule according to claim 10 , wherein two or more kinds of target biomolecules are detected or quantified simultaneously.

18. The method of detecting or quantifying a biomolecule according to claim 11 , wherein two or more kinds of target biomolecules are detected or quantified simultaneously.

19. The method of detecting or quantifying a biomolecule according to claim 13 , wherein two or more kinds of target biomolecules are detected or quantified simultaneously.