Synthesis of Photoactive Polymer Brush by RAFT Polymerization: Applications in Isolation of Biological Macromolecules

摘要

Polymer brushes may expand or contract depending on the external stimuli. These substrate acts as nanosponges; the expansion of the brush facilitates adsorption of molecules and macromolecules, and collapse of the brush facilitates release of the adsorbed species like squeezing a sponge. We have shown the selective adsorption of a cationic peptide (bradykinin) to an anionic brush (PNIPAAM/PMAA) in the presence of an anionic peptide (buccalin) (Figure 1) using MALDI MS for analysis . In our effort to advance this technique, we have proposed to couple this method to Dynamic Isoelectric Focusing (DIEF) using photoswitchable polymer brushes. DIEF is a technique that can separate protein at their isoelectric point. In order to achieve our goal, we have synthesized and evaluated photoswitchable polymer brushes towards trapping and releasing fluorescent dyes. We chose to work with dyes as a proof of concept. Our polymer brush is composed of NIPAM as the major component and a spiropyran as the photoactive component.