BSA-imprinted synthetic receptor for reversible template recognition

A novel approach to the manufacturing of protein-responsive imprints on a home-made chitosan substrate was established together with m-aminophenylboronic acid (APBA) as a functional monomer. The produced polymers were characterized using both (1) equilibrium adsorption assays and (2) high performance liquid chromatography analysis. Results confirmed that the synthesized BSA-MIP (molecularly imprinted polymer) has a high affinity towards its template compared to the determined control proteins. The produced BSA-MIP featured largely in its good adsorption reversibility, especially in competitive binding assays, which is of great biological significance in separations. Non-specific binding was reduced to almost zero in a BSA/BHb competitive binding event. An excellent HPLC profile of template recognition was found for BSA-MIP, even under harsh mobile phase conditions. In the present work, the adopted trapped-template-release method permits recovery of bound BSA [1]. The strategy of making an artificial protein-receptor with high adsorption affinity and reversibility is promising in on-line isolation of target protein from complicated biological environments.