Patterns of surface immobilized block copolymer vesicle nanoreactors

Block copolymer vesicles containing enzymes and fluorogenic substrates were immobilized and patterned using soft lithography in combination with electrostatic interactions between the vesicles and the surface. The surface coverage of vesicles was found to depend systematically on pH and ionic streng...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European polymer journal 2011-02, Vol.47 (2), p.130-138
Main Authors: Chen, Qi, Wilhelmina de Groot, G., Schönherr, Holger, Julius Vancso, G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Biological and medical sciences
Biotechnology
Block copolymer vesicles
Block copolymers
Electrostatics
Enzyme and substrates
Enzymes
Exact sciences and technology
Forms of application and semi-finished materials
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Immobilization
Immobilization of enzymes and other molecules
Immobilization techniques
Methods. Procedures. Technologies
Micro-molding in capillaries
Miscellaneous
Nanocomposites
Nanomaterials
Nanostructure
Polymer industry, paints, wood
Soft lithography
Technology of polymers
Vesicles
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Summary:Block copolymer vesicles containing enzymes and fluorogenic substrates were immobilized and patterned using soft lithography in combination with electrostatic interactions between the vesicles and the surface. The surface coverage of vesicles was found to depend systematically on pH and ionic strength of the solution. The immobilization and positioning of ultra small reaction vessels on solid supports open new pathways in applications such as lab-on-a-chip, sensors, microanalyses and microreactors. In our work block copolymer vesicles made from polystyrene- block-polyacrylic acid (PS- b-PAA) were immobilized from aqueous medium onto 3-amino propyl trimethoxysilane functionalized silicon surfaces exploiting electrostatic interactions. The immobilization of the vesicles was investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, as well as fluorescence optical and atomic force microscopy (AFM). In addition, the influence of pH and ionic strength on the surface coverage of vesicles bound to the surface was elucidated. Finally micro-molding in capillaries (MIMIC) was utilized to create line patterns of the vesicles containing the enzyme trypsin and the fluorogenic substrate rhodamine 110 bisamide. The selective positioning of vesicle nanoreactors in conjunction with electrostatic immobilization serves as a proof of principle for potential applications in real-time observation of confined chemical reaction inside vesicles as nanocontainers and for the fabrication of integrated microarray systems.
ISSN:0014-3057
1873-1945
DOI:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2010.11.005