title: Molecular-shape imprinting and immobilization of biomolecules on a polymer containing azo dye.
abstract: We demonstrate a novel technique for molecular imprinting and immobilization on a surface of a polymer containing azo dyes (azopolymer). The azopolymer was found to be capable of immobilizing micrometer- and nanometer-scale macromolecules (e.g., lambda-DNA, immunoglobulin G (IgG), bacterial protease, and 1-mum polystyrene particles) through photoirradiation with blue-wavelength light. Fluorescence and atomic force microscopy studies revealed that the azopolymer surface deformed along with the shape of the macromolecules, holding them in place after photoirradiation. The desorption of the immobilized macromolecules from the azopolymer surface in an aqueous medium was observed to be very slow, on the time scale of 10 min to weeks, depending on the photoirradiation time. Immunological and enzymatic studies showed that IgG and bacterial protease immobilized on the azopolymer surface retained their original functionality. These results suggest that the azopolymer physically, not chemically, binds the macromolecules because of the increase in contact area between the macromolecules and the azopolymer surface after photoirradiation.
authors.affiliation: Toyota Central Research and Development Laboratories, Inc., Nagakute, Aichi 480-1192, Japan. E1056@mosk.tytlabs.co.jp
authors.forename: Taiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ikawa
authors.forename: Fumihiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D004396:Coloring Agents; D011108:Polymers