Molecular recognition at the exterior surface of a zwitterionic telomer brush

3-Sulfo-N,N-dimethyl-N-(2'-methacryloyloxyethyl)propanaminium inner salt (SPB) was polymerized on a glass plate with a surface-confined initiator of atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) having a 2-bromoisobutyryl group. The glass plate modified with a brush of sulfobetaine telomer (PSPB) was highly hydrophilic and showed a strong resistance against nonspecific adsorption of proteins such as lysozyme and albumin. Through the polymerization from the free surface of PSPB chain by ATRP, furthermore, N-methacryloyloxysuccinimide (MAOSu) residues were introduced, and the incubation of the telomer (PSPB-b-PMAOSu)-modified glass chip with a lectin (concanavalin A, Con A) gave a glass chip covered with the Con-A-modified PSPB brush. The Con A fixed to the zwitterionic telomer brush pursued specific binding of mannose residues accumulated on the surface of Au colloidal particles, resulting in the increase in absorbance at 550 nm ascribable to localized surface plasmon resonance, while the nonspecific adsorption of proteins to the surface of the glass chip was still largely suppressed. The present results indicate usefulness of the zwitterionic telomer surface with antibiofouling properties as a scaffold for specific sensing devices.