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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
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In Vitro Selection of Aptamers to Differentiate Infectious from Non-Infectious Viruses
Published on: September 7, 2022
Optimization of virus imprinting methods to improve selectivity and reduce nonspecific binding
Linden D Bolisay1, James N Culver, Peter Kofinas
1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742-2111, USA.
Biomacromolecules
|November 15, 2007
Summary
Molecular imprinting successfully created virus-specific polymers using tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). Optimized methods ensured effective template removal and high TMV affinity, demonstrating potential for selective virus detection.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Molecular imprinting (MIP) creates synthetic receptors for target molecules.
- Imprinting large templates like viruses requires careful control over cavity formation and template removal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To optimize molecular imprinting for tobacco mosaic virus (TMV).
- To investigate polymer-virus interactions and develop effective template removal strategies.
Main Methods:
- Utilized poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAA) and TMV for imprinting.
- Investigated polymer concentrations influencing aggregate formation.
- Compared various washing protocols for template removal, identifying 1 M NaOH as optimal.
Main Results:
- High polymer concentrations (>25% w/v) prevented unwanted polymer-virus aggregates.
- 1 M sodium hydroxide effectively removed the TMV template.
- Synthesized MIPs showed a high affinity for TMV (imprinting factor of 2.3).
- MIPs demonstrated low affinity for the non-target tobacco necrosis virus.
Conclusions:
- Optimized conditions enable the synthesis of TMV-specific molecularly imprinted polymers.
- The developed MIPs show high selectivity and affinity for TMV, promising for diagnostic applications.
