Peptide imprinted polymer nanoparticles: a plastic antibody.

A novel method for preparation of biomacromolecular imprinted nanoparticles is described. Combinations of functional monomers were polymerized in the presence of the imprinting peptide melittin in aqueous solution at room temperature to produce a small library of polymer nanoparticles. The template peptide and unreacted monomers are subsequently removed by dialysis. Nanoparticles (NPs) from the library were evaluated for their binding to melittin by 27 MHz QCM analysis. NPs prepared with optimized functional monomer combinations bind strongly to the target molecule. Nanoparticles that were polymerized in the absence of template peptide were found to have little affinity to the peptide. Binding affinity and the size of imprinted particles are comparable to those of natural antibodies. They interact specifically with the target peptide and show little affinity for other proteins. These NPs are of interest as inert and stable substitutes for antibodies. Extension of this approach to other targets of biological importance and the applications of these materials are currently being evaluated.