Absorbance reader used in gliadin ELISA
Researchers in the Sensors and Biosensors Group at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, have taken advantage of Tecans Sunrise absorbance reader and Magellan V4.0 software to establish a novel magneto-ELISA for gliadin, a constituent of the cereal protein gluten important in celiac disease, based on optical detection. The group has developed an electrochemical magneto immunosensor for the sensitive detection of gliadin and small gliadin fragments in natural or pretreated foods. To assess the performance of the electrochemical immunosensor, it was compared with a novel magneto-ELISA, using optical detection performed on the Sunrise plate reader. The ELISAs were performed in 96-well microplates, using a magnetic separation plate to isolate the supernatant before measuring the absorbance in the reader. This enabled immunoassays to be performed in a variety of different formats for multiple applications such as evaluating protein coupling to magnetic beads and nanoparticles as well as allowing assessment of different transducer materials for biosensing purposes. It also provided a quick and easy way to optimize reagents and assay parameters, making the reader suitable for research applications.