Combinatorial screening of biomimetic protein affinity materials

The preparation of large arrays of three-dimensional peptide grafted polymer affinity materials was reported, allowing the screening of 10000 material combinations in parallel for protein affinity. Monomers 2-hydroxyethyl methcrylate (HEMA) and ethylene dimethcrylate (EDMA) were selected for their optical properties and the photoinitiator azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) was selected because the aliphatic photoproducts are nonfluorescent. Synthesis were performed on a custom-assembled automated system using amino acids protected by the photolabile protecting group. Fmoc and light-directed synthesis steps were performed on three-dimensional porous polymer supports modified with a glycine linker. At the end of the synthesis, the N-terminal amine was deprotected and derivatized with the fluorescent dye TAMARA-succinimidyl ester. The results show high target affinity and specificity exhibited by Ga180 binding peptides grafted on the three-dimensional porous polymer support.