jp068509p_si_001.pdf (165.42 kB)
Two-Dimensionally Self-Arranged Protein Nanoarrays on Diblock Copolymer Templates
journal contribution
posted on 2007-05-03, 00:00 authored by Nitin Kumar, Omkar Parajuli, Jong-in HahmNovel methods for creating protein arrays with two-dimensional control can significantly enhance basic
biological research as well as various bioarray applications. We demonstrate that the structural variety and
chemical heterogeneity of self-assembled, hexagonal polystyrene-b-poly(vinylpyridine) micelles can be
successfully exploited as templates for easy and rapid fabrication of functional protein arrays over a large
scale. Spontaneous formation of such polymeric template-guided protein molecules yields high-density protein
arrays that exhibit repeat spacings in a nanoscopic dimension. The ensuing self-assembled protein molecules
in the array maintain their natural conformation and activity over a very long time period. By tuning the size
of the underlying block copolymer templates, our amphiphilic diblock copolymer-based approach to create
high-density protein patterns also permits spatial control over two-dimensional repeat spacings of protein
nanoarrays. These unique advantages of polystyrene-b-poly(vinylpyridine) templates make the spontaneously
constructed protein nanoarrays highly suitable as functional protein sensor substrates. Therefore, our novel
two-dimensional protein assembly method can be greatly beneficial for high-throughput proteomic assays
and multiplexed high-density protein sensing applications.