Attenuated total reflectance-based biosensor for conformation and secondary structure analysis

1. An infrared sensor element adapted for detection of different conformations of a secondary structure of a biomarker protein that undergoes conformational transitions associated with disease progression, wherein the infrared sensor element comprises:

a germanium internal reflection element of a trapezoid or parallelogram shape, which internal reflection element is transparent in an infrared spectrum,

comprises a functionalized surface, and

is configured to provide for at least five internal reflections at the functionalized surface,

and

an antibody directly grafted to the functionalized surface, wherein the antibody specifically binds

(i) amino acid residues 13-28 of amyloid-beta, or

(ii) amino acid residues 103-108 of alpha-synuclein,

which antibody binds (i) or (ii) independent of the conformation of the secondary structure of amyloid-beta or of alpha-synuclein,

and

wherein the infrared sensor element is configured to detect different conformations of the secondary structure of the amyloid-beta or of alpha-synuclein in a body fluid from a patient,

wherein the functionalized surface is produced by a method comprising

directly grafting the antibody to at least one surface of said germanium internal reflection element by silanization with short silane linkers or by thiolation with short thiol linkers, wherein the short silane linkers and short thiol linkers have a chain length of not more than 20 atoms,

reacting freely accessible amine groups of said antibody with amine-reactive groups on the short silane linkers or the short thiol linkers, and

blocking remaining amine-reactive groups on the short silane linkers or the short thiol linkers with a blocking substance that is not cross-reactive with the biomarker protein.

2. The infrared sensor element of claim 1 , wherein the germanium internal reflection element

is a germanium monocrystal.

3. The infrared sensor element of claim 1 , wherein the short silane linkers and short thiol linkers include homogenous silane and thiol linkers, mixtures of silane linkers and mixtures of thiol linkers, wherein

the silane linkers have one of the following formulas:

X 3 Si—(CH 2 ) n —Y—(CH 2 ) n′ —Z,

X 2 R 1 Si—(CH 2 ) n —Y—(CH 2 ) n′ —Z or

X(R 1 ) 2 Si—(CH 2 ) n —Y—(CH 2 ) n′ —Z,

and the thiol linkers have the following formula:

HS—(CH 2 ) n —Y—(CH 2 ) n′ —Z,

wherein X at each occurrence is independently selected from halogen and C 1-6 alkoxy, n is an integer of 1 to 10, n is an integer of 1 to 5; R 1 at each occurrence is independently selected from C 1-6 alkyl, Y is selected from a chemical bond, O—, —CO—, —SO 2 —, —NR 2 —, —S—, —SS—, —NR 2 CO—, —CONR 2 —, —NR 2 SO 2 — and —SO 2 NR 2 —, wherein R 2 is H or C 1-6 alkyl, and Z is an amine-reactive group.

4. The infrared sensor element of claim 3 , wherein the germanium internal reflection element comprises

(i) silane linkers and in the linkers X is independently selected from C 1-6 alkoxy-groups, Y is —NHCO—, Z is —CO 2 H or an ester derivative thereof, and n is an integer of 1 to 5 and n′ is an integer of 1 to 3; or

(ii) thiol linkers and in the linkers Y is a chemical bond, Z is —CO 2 H or an ester derivative thereof, and n is an integer of 1 to 8 and n′ is an integer of 1 to 5.

5. The infrared sensor element of claim 1 , wherein the blocking substance is selected from casein, ethanolamine, L-lysine, polyethylene glycols and derivatives thereof.

6. The infrared sensor element of claim 1 , wherein the blocking substance is detergent-free and comprises a globular protein that is not cross-reactive with the biomarker protein.

7. The infrared sensor element of claim 1 , wherein the blocking substance is casein.

8. The infrared sensor element of claim 1 , wherein the antibody directly grafted to the functionalized surface specifically binds amino acid residues 13-28 of amyloid-beta.

9. An infrared sensor element comprising:

a germanium internal reflection element of a trapezoid or parallelogram shape, which internal reflection element

is transparent in the infrared spectrum,

comprises a functionalized surface, and

is configured to provide for at least five internal reflections at the functionalized surface,

and

an antibody directly grafted to the functionalized surface, wherein the antibody specifically binds

(i) amino acid residues 13-28 of amyloid-beta, or

(ii) amino acid residues 103-108 of alpha-synuclein,

which antibody binds (i) or (ii) independent of the conformation of the secondary structure of amyloid-beta or of alpha-synuclein, and

wherein the infrared sensor element is configured to detect different conformations a secondary structure of the amyloid-beta or of alpha-synuclein in a body fluid from a patient.

10. The sensor of claim 9 , wherein the body fluid is cerebrospinal fluid, blood, serum, or plasma.

11. The infrared sensor element of claim 9 , wherein the germanium internal reflection element is a germanium monocrystal.

12. The infrared sensor element of claim 9 , wherein the antibody directly grafted to the functionalized surface specifically binds amino acid residues 13-28 of amyloid-beta.

13. The infrared sensor element of claim 12 , wherein the body fluid is cerebrospinal fluid, blood, serum, or plasma.

14. The infrared sensor element of claim 1 , wherein the antibody directly grafted to the functionalized surface specifically binds amino acid residues 13-28 of amyloid-beta.