Protein microarrays: Reduced autofluorescence and improved LOD

In protein microarray performance, the choice of an appropriate surface is a crucial factor. Three-dimensional substrates like nitrocellulose are known to have higher binding capacities than planar surfaces. Furthermore, they can enable the immobilization of proteins in a functional manner. One disadvantage of today's nitrocellulose-based microarrays is the high background fluorescence, which can interfere with the detection of low-abundance proteins. We have developed an innovative black nitrocellulose membrane-based protein microarray that exhibits low autofluorescence in combination with increased sensitivity and improved LOD (limit of detection). The applicability of the novel material was demonstrated with main focus on reversed-phase microarray experiments. In comparison to various commercially available microarrays, a higher sensitivity in regard to the spotted protein was achieved. In contrast to other porous nitrocellulose-based microarrays, the black nitrocellulose provides a significant lower autofluorescence and background intensity.