title: A molecular-imprint nanosensor for ultrasensitive detection of proteins.
abstract: Molecular imprinting is a technique for preparing polymer scaffolds that function as synthetic receptors. Imprinted polymers that can selectively bind organic compounds have proven useful in sensor development. Although creating synthetic molecular-imprinting polymers that recognize proteins remains challenging, nanodevices and nanomaterials show promise in this area. Here, we show that arrays of carbon-nanotube tips with an imprinted non-conducting polymer coating can recognize proteins with subpicogram per litre sensitivity using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. We have developed molecular-imprinting sensors specific for human ferritin and human papillomavirus derived E7 protein. The molecular-imprinting-based nanosensor can also discriminate between Ca(2+)-induced conformational changes in calmodulin. This ultrasensitive, label-free electrochemical detection of proteins offers an alternative to biosensors based on biomolecule recognition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, USA. caid@bc.edu
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Huaizhou
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Chenjia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hengzhi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yucheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Mary F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Jeffrey H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Naughton
authors.forename: Zhifeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chiles
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003217:Conductometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D040081:Protein Array Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity