Selective binding materials

• US 20040063112A1
• Filed: 09/11/2003
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cranfield University
• Original Assignee: Cranfield University
• Inventors: Piletsky, Sergiy Anatoliyovich, Karim, Khalku, Piletska, Olena Volodimirivna, Turner, Anthony Peter Francis, Bossi, Alessandra
• Granted Patent: US 7,682,836 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/6
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3057 Use of a templating or imprinting material molecularly imprinted polymers B01J20/268; filling pores of a substrate or matrix followed by the removal of the substrate or matrix
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2600/00 Assays involving molecular imprinted polymers/polymers created around a molecular template
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/531 Production of immunochemical test materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/815 Test for named compound or class of compounds
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/816 Alkaloids, amphetamines, and barbiturates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/817 Steroids or hormones
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/818 Human chorionic gonadotropin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/901 Drugs of abuse, e.g. narcotics, amphetamine

Abstract

A template (a molecule preferably of molecular size >500 Da, or a larger entity such as a cell, virus or tissue sample) is dissolved or suspended in a fluid. The fluid is frozen, and the template is removed (e.g. by dissolution or electrophoresis, or mechanically) to leave an “imprinted” frozen fluid. This is capable of selectively adsorbing the template substance. It is usable as a separation medium, a recognition element in sensors and assays, and as a catalyst.

Claims

1. A process for preparing a selective binding material capable of selectively binding a template material comprising:

(a) preparing a composition comprising template material and a carrier fluid;

(b) freezing the composition; and

(c) at least partially removing template material from the frozen composition so as to leave frozen carrier fluid with binding sites where template material has been removed.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein in step (c) template material is removed mechanically.

3. A process according to claim 1 wherein in step (c) template material is removed by washing with a solvent therefor.

4. A process according to claim 1 wherein in step (c) template material is removed by electrodialysis.

7. A process according to any preceding claim where the template material is selected from proteins, biological receptors, nucleic acids, chromosomes, cells, viruses, microorganisms, tissue samples, carbohydrates, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, nucleoproteins, mucoproteins, lipoproteins, synthetic proteins, glycoproteins, glucosaminoglycans, steroids, immunosuppressants, hormones, heparin, antibiotics, vitamins and drugs.

8. A process according to any preceding claim wherein the carrier fluid is selected from water, aqueous solvents, inorganic liquids, organic solvents, metals, fusible organic compounds, fusible inorganic compounds, polymers and gases.

9. A process according to any preceding claim wherein said carrier fluid is a liquid and said composition prepared in step (a) is a solution of the template material.

10. A process according to claim 9 where the solution is in water and the template material is a protein.

11. A process according to any of claims 1-8 where the template material is immobilised onto a solid support.

12. A process according to any of claims 1-11 where the template material is distributed between two phases, which have different melting points.

13. A selective binding material as prepared by the process of any of claims 1-4 or 6-12 consisting of a frozen carrier fluid having binding sites whence template material has been removed.

14. Use of the material of claim 13 as a separation matrix.

15. Use of the material of claim 12 as a recognition element for a sensor or assay for sensing or assaying the template material or an analogue thereof.

16. Use of the material of claim 12 as a catalyst.

5. A process for preparing and using a selective binding material comprising:

(a) preparing a composition comprising template material and a carrier fluid;

(b) freezing the composition; and

(c) contacting the frozen composition with a solution containing a molecular species which selectively interacts with template material in the frozen composition.

6. A process according to claim 5 wherein said step (c) is used to effect molecular recognition, selective binding, sensing, assaying or catalysis.