Peptide imprinted polymer synthesised by radiation-induced graft polymerisation.

FEDERICO J. WOLMAN, MARIANO GRASSELLI, OSVALDO CASCONE

Rosario

Congreso; SAIB 2006. XLII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular.; 2006

SAIB

The design of polymer surfaces with molecular recognition capability is an exciting subject with potential application in the analytical and biotechnological fields. Molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) are still in their infancy and new methodologies are required to broaden their application. In this work, MIPs were synthesised by simultaneous radiation-induced graft polymerisation in a polar medium using 4-vynilpyridine as specific monomer and dyethylenglycol dimethacrylate as the filler monomer. Bacitracin, a cyclic decapeptide, was used as the target molecule to develop MIPs grafted on macroporous membranes. Soluble ternary complexes of vinyl pyridine, bacitracin and copper (II) were obtained and characterised by visible spectroscopy in an aqueous medium. These complexes were grafted on macroporous polyethylene membranes. MIP materials showed ability to adsorb bacitracin (1.4 µmol/ml) in a higher amount than control polymers(0.4-0.8 µmol/ml). In addition, these materials showed a 5-fold greater selectivity to bacitracin than that of chemically modified bacitracins (acetyl-bacitracin and TNP-bacitracin).