“Ready-to-use” immunosensor for the detection of small molecules with fast readout

Immunoassays are commonly used methods for detection of small molecules that typically require numerous steps of the labeling between immune-recognition reagents and tracers, immobilization and recurrent washing, making them time consuming and difficult to adapt into point of care formats. Here we describe a “ready-to-use” homogeneous competitive immunosensor with an assay time of 10 min that is based exclusively on recombinant reagents. The signal is produced when the split fragments of the nano luciferase (Nluc) are brought together by the interaction of a heavy chain only variable domain (VHH) with a peptidomimetic of the target small molecule. A VHH to 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was used to isolated the peptidomimetic (NGFFEPWQVVYV) from phage display libraries using six panning conditions. Then the peptidomimetic and VHH were fused with the larger (LgN) and smaller piece (SmN) of split fragments of Nluc, respectively. In order to optimize the signal and sensitivity of the immunosensor, we explored the effects of the spacer between the peptidomimetic and LgN, the copy number of peptidomimetics, and the spacer between SmN and VHH, generating 24 combinations that allowed to conclude on their respective roles. Eventually, the developed “ready-to-use” immunosensor performed excellent signal-to-noise ratio and sensitivity, and could be applied to the detection of 2,4-D in real samples. Meanwhile, the immunosensor totally realizes labeling-free, immobilization-free and washing-free, also can be produced in a highly cost effective way.