Generation of Aptamer-Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Hybrid Materials

Molecular recognition (the ability to specifically recognise a chemical compound) is a highly important feature of analytical science. More often than not compound specific recognition comes from biological element such as enzymes, antibodies and DNA. Aptamers are short strands of DNA.

Whilst the properties in terms of recognition for biological molecules are excellent, the performance and environmental stability is low and this can compromise their uses. In particular degradation is a major problem.

To combat these derogatory issues a new generation of artifical recognition materials have been developed. At the forefront is a technology called Molecular Imprinting. This involves making a small binding pocket in a polymer which is chemically and shape specific for the target compound. These "smart plastics" offer the robustness and the ability to work in extreme environmental conditions but can lack the needed specificity/affinity.

This project aims to create a "best of both worlds" scenario. By slightly changing the chemical structure of the aptamer DNA we intend to use the aptamer as the recognition part of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP). This will be achieved by making the aptamer polymerisable so it can become part of the polymer structure, incorporating it into the polymer matrix via polymerisable groups on the DNA.

In this way we intend to preserve the high affinity and specificity of the aptamer whilst imparting the robustness and added shape specificity generated by the MIP. The presence of the polymer should protect the aptamer from environmental degradation and potentially widen the scope of use of aptamers for recognition.

Successful development of aptamer-MIP hybrid materials would pave the way for a new generation of molecularly imprinted polymers. By improving the recognition properties of this class of polymer it would pave the way for their use to become more mainstream, offering significant commercial gain.

The benefits to the aptamer community would be high as well. Currently uses of them are often limited by environmental considerations. Incorporation into a robust material whilst maintaining mode of action would be a benefit for several uses and this has clear commerical aspects.

The development of novel DNA chemistry, proposed in this paper opens up futher methods to interact DNA with other materials, especially materials considered to be "artificial". This marrying of biological and synthetic technology would be invaluable.

If successful this work will open up a new avenue of research, with will benefit the wide community and help position the PI as world leaders in novel recognition elements.

Additionally, any peer-reviewed publications arising from this grant will be registered on the Open University's open access institutional repository - Open Research Online (ORO) at http://oro.open.ac.uk. ORO is now one of the largest HEI repositories in the UK with over 850,000 visits from people in 170 countries since 2006. It enables access to research outputs via common search engines including Google, by using the OAI (Open Archives Initiative) Protocol for Metadata Harvesting.