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Specific features of epitope-MIPs and whole-protein MIPs as illustrated for AFP and RBD of SARS-CoV-2

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Abstract

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) nanofilms for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 using either a peptide (epitope-MIP) or the whole protein (protein-MIP) as the template were prepared by electropolymerization of scopoletin. Conducting atomic force microscopy revealed after template removal and electrochemical deposition of gold a larger surface density of imprinted cavities for the epitope-imprinted polymers than when using the whole protein as template. However, comparable affinities towards the respective target protein (AFP and RBD) were obtained for both types of MIPs as expressed by the KD values in the lower nanomolar range. On the other hand, while the cross reactivity of both protein-MIPs towards human serum albumin (HSA) amounts to around 50% in the saturation region, the nonspecific binding to the respective epitope-MIPs is as low as that for the non-imprinted polymer (NIP). This effect might be caused by the different sizes of the imprinted cavities. Thus, in addition to the lower costs the reduced nonspecific binding is an advantage of epitope-imprinted polymers for the recognition of proteins.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany’s Excellence Strategy—EXC 2008–390540038 (Unifying Systems in Catalysis—UniSysCat) and the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF, 01DH20018). This work was partially supported by the Ministry of Innovation and Technology of Hungary from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund under the TKP2021 funding scheme, project no. BME-EGA-02.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam, Germany

    Xiaorong Zhang, Frank F. Bier & Frieder W. Scheller

  2. Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Turkish-German University, Sahinkaya Cad. Beykoz, Istanbul, 34820, Turkey

    Aysu Yarman

  3. BME “Lendület” Chemical Nanosensors Research Group, Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Műegyetem rkp. 3, 1111, Budapest, Hungary

    Norbert Kovács, Zsófia Bognár & Róbert E. Gyurcsányi

  4. HUN-REN-BME Computation Driven Chemistry Research Group, Műegyetem rkp. 3, 1111, Budapest, Hungary

    Róbert E. Gyurcsányi

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  1. Xiaorong Zhang
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Contributions

Conceptualization, R.E.G. and F.W.S.; methodology and formal analysis, X.Z., A.Y., N.K., Z.B., and R.E.G.; investigation, X.Z., N.K., and Z.B.; writing—original draft preparation, X.Z., R.E.G., and F.W.S.; writing—review and editing, R.E.G. and F.W.S.; visualization, X.Z. Z.B., and N.K.; supervision, A.Y., R.E.G., and F.W.S.; project administration, F.W.S.; funding acquisition, R.E.G., F.F.B., and F.W.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xiaorong Zhang.

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The paper is dedicated to both pioneers of MIP development Günther Wulff and Klaus Mosbach.

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Zhang, X., Yarman, A., Kovács, N. et al. Specific features of epitope-MIPs and whole-protein MIPs as illustrated for AFP and RBD of SARS-CoV-2. Microchim Acta 191, 242 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-024-06325-0

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