Registration of the protein with compact disk.

CD-based optico-acoustical biosensor (OAB) was used for detection of various types of proteins represented by bovine serum albumin (BSA), heme-containing myoglobin (Mb), monoclonal antibody against viral protein marker of hepatitis B (anti-HBsAg) and membrane-bound cytochrome P450scc (P450scc). We applied standard compact disc reader (CD-ROM) as an optical analyzer and a standard compact disc (CD) as a biochip containing immobilized protein molecules. This biosensor can translate into a digital code the changes of optical signal from the proteins and their complexes immobilized on the CD surface. Then, the digital code is translated into an acoustic series or, in other words, into a "music of proteins". We demonstrate the use of the OAB for direct detection of proteins with different molecular weights, such as BSA, Mb, P450scc, anti-HBsAg with the concentration detection limit (DL) about 10(-7)M. By signal amplification achieved with autometallography, a higher sensitivity level (DL∼10(-9)M) for the detection of myoglobin was obtained. The method of OAB-detection of proteins is cheap: it requires no special equipment like spectrometers, refractometers and other devices. Due to the fact that acoustic series of the protein complexes antigen/antibody differs from that of single proteins, the OAB-detection is of particular interest for rapid assay in yes/no data type and for home diagnostics. Combination of the OAB with a mass spectrometer allowed the detection and identification of the target proteins fished out directly onto a standard CD surface.