WAVEchip

Measure the toughest samples

The innovative fluidics design integrates all the microfluidics into the disposable cartridge (not within the device core) and places large bore standard valves downstream in the instrument instead of having microvalves near the chip. 

By combining the microfluidics and optical biosensor in a single disposable cartridge, WAVEsystem, a Creoptix technology, offers crude-sample robustness normally only achieved with plate-based assays. Compatible sample types include 100% serum or plasma, cell lysates, crude membranes preparations, large drug targets, virus-like particles (VLPs), liposomes, and aggregates (fibrils) without clogging risk.

The chemical-friendly cartridge also makes it amenable to work with high concentrations of DMSO, acetonitrile, and other organic solvents typical of fragment libraries, and viscous detergents allowing exploration of solubilization and purification conditions for membrane proteins. And because the cartridges are self-contained and disposable, they eliminate cross-contamination protecting your samples and ensuring more reliable data.

No Microvalves for Fast Transitions

The cartridge design enables ultra-fast transition times of 150 msec for reliable determination of off-rates of 10 sec–1 (half-life of 69 ms), enabling the kinetic study of weakly binding fragments.

No-Clog for Crude Samples

No-clog microfluidics accommodates a broad range of sample types to preserve activity and biological context, saving time from detrimental purification steps and clogging that takes other systems offline.

By combining the patented Grating-Coupled Interferometry (GCI) technology with no-clog microfluidics, the Creoptix^® WAVEsystem deliver high quality data from even the most challenging sample types and achieve superior resolution in signal and time compared to other forms of label-free quantification. Label-free ligand immobilization is typically achieved by covalently coupling the ligand to the biosensor via naturally-occurring amine (-NH₂), thiol (-SH₂), aldehyde (-CHO) or carboxylate (-COOH) groups, or through ligand attachment to an antibody that has itself been covalently attached to the biosensor surface. Maintaining samples in native configuration and physiological conditions reduces the risk of protein inactivation or denaturation, ensuring the raw data generated is a faithful depiction of kinetic activity. 

Download the WAVEchip decision tree

Additional information: WAVEchip types

WAVEchip sensor	Sensor surface matrix	Immobilization modality	Suggested applications
PCP	Quasi-planar PC hydrogel	Amine coupling	Large ligands and/or analytes such as proteo-/liposomes, viruses, VLPs
PCP-STA	Pre-immobilized streptavidin Quasi-planar PC hydrogel	Biotin	Large biotinylated ligands, analytes such as liposomes, viruses, VLPs
PCP-RST	Regenerable streptavidin surface Quasi-planar PC hydrogel	Biotin	Large biotinylated ligands, ligand screening
PCP-PAG	Pre-immobilized fusion protein A/G Quasi-planar PC hydrogel	IgG	For capturing the broadest range of IgG and FC-tagged proteins
PCP-NTA	Pre-immobilized NTA Quasi-planar PC hydrogel	His-Tag	Large His-tagged ligands, analytes such as liposomes, viruses, VLPs
PCP-LIP	Pre-immobilized lipophilic groups Quasi-planar PC hydrogel	Lipid	Hydrophobic (large) ligands such as liposomes, membrane vesicles
PCZ	Functionalized with a zwitterionic polymer bearing carboxylic acids and tertiary amines in similar densities, quasi-planar PC hydrogel	Amine coupling	Low fouling, ideal for coupling proteins with low isoelectric points or polyanionic ligands
PCL	Low capacity, thick PC hydrogel with a lower amount of negative charges (approx. 25%)	Amine coupling	Complex matrices such as serum, culture supernatant. Requires sulfo-NHS for activation
PCH	Thick PC hydrogel	Amine coupling	Large ligand-to-analyte molecular weight ratio, general purpose
PCH-NTA	Pre-immobilized NTA Thick PC hydrogel	His-Tag	His-tagged ligands, general purpose
PCH-STA	Pre-immobilized streptavidin Thick hydrogel	Biotin	Biotinylated ligands, general purpose
PCH-RST	Regenerable streptavidin surface Thick hydrogel	Biotin	Biotinylated ligands, ligand screening
DXP	Quasi-planar DX hydrogel	Amine coupling	Large ligands and/or analytes such as proteo-/liposomes, viruses, VLPs
DXH-STA	Pre-immobilized streptavidin Thick DX hydrogel	Biotin	Biotinylated ligands, general purpose
DXH	Thick DX hydrogel	Amine coupling	Large ligand-to-analyte molecular weight ratio, general purpose
PC- = polycarboxylate, DX- = Carboxymethyldextran. DX coated sensors available upon request

What are WAVEchips^® compatible with?

• 100% Serum & plasma & cell supernatant
• Non-traditional solvents, including high percentages of acetonitrile and DMSO
  
• Viscous detergents and additives to solubilize membrane proteins
  
• Cell membrane preps, partially solubilized, unpurified material
  
• Virus-like particles (VLPs), liposomes, or nanodiscs used as solubilization structures
  
• Large binding partners: nanoparticles and crude membrane preps
  

How often can I use the WAVEchips?

This depends on the type of WAVEchip^®, the immobilization method used, and the behavior of the immobilized ligand. For example, His-tagged ligand proteins captured on a Ni-NTA surface can be regenerated by EDTA and the ligand freshly re-captured multiple times. This means that such a chip can generally be used repeatedly, provided it remains inserted in the WAVEsystem. Regenerations are possible with both Ni-NTA and Protein A/G chips, allowing for multiple uses, however this is not easily accomplished with streptavidin or other chips.

How much ligand can you immobilize on the chips?

The immobilization capacity depends on the chip type and immobilization method. The highest capacity chip in the WAVEsystem portfolio, the 4PCH WAVEchip, can immobilize up to 35,000 pg/mm² of BSA, but the experimental capacity depends on the exact ligand used. The WAVEcontrol software has a built-in simulator that helps determine the ligand density required for an acceptable theoretical response.