Selective protein and DNA adsorption on PLL-PEG films modulated by ionic strength

We describe a soft thin film which selectively adsorbs DNA but averts the non-specific binding of proteins. Indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates were surface-modified with a poly(L-lysine)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLL-PEG) film which carries an outer protein-repelling PEG layer and an underlying positively charged PLL layer that attracts DNA. Binding of DNA could be tuned by a factor of over 90 by varying the salt concentration. The dependence of DNA binding on ionic strength was described with a physicochemical model which led to the conclusion of an unexpectedly high enrichment of salt inside the PEG layer. In addition, the model led to an expanded definition of the Debye-Huckel type effective screening length parameter z. Our new findings on a film with dual passivation/attraction properties can find applications in biopolymer-specific coatings useful in bioseparation and biosensing. In addition, the physicochemical characterisation provides new insight into the interactions between biopolymers and polymer-coated interfaces.