Optimization of Functional Monomer Content in Protein‐Imprinted Polymers

Abstract

We have prepared synthetic materials having binding specificity toward lysozyme using molecular imprinting. The lysozyme‐imprinted polymers were prepared on silica beads using acrylic acid, acrylamide, and N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide. The molar ratio of acrylic acid to the template affected the selectivity and the maximum binding specificity was yielded with the molar ratio of 5 to 1 (acrylic acid/template). No binding specificity toward lysozyme was observed when there was no acrylic acid, and the binding specificity decreased when the amount of acrylic acid was high. The functional monomer‐template ratio indicated in this study could be useful for improving the binding specificity in molecular imprinting of proteins.

Keywords:

• Molecular imprinting
• lysozyme
• acrylic acid
• protein
• N,N′‐Methylenebisacrylamide