Composite of CdTe quantum dots and molecularly imprinted polymer as a sensing material for cytochrome c

A newly designed molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) material was fabricated and successfully utilized as recognition element to develop a quantum dots (QDs) based MIP-coated composite for selective recognition of the template cytochrome c (Cyt). The composites were synthesized by sol-gel reaction (imprinting process). The imprinting process resulted in an increased affinity of the composites toward the corresponding template. The fluorescence of MIP-coated QDs was stronger quenched by the template versus that of non-imprinted polymer (NIP)-coated QDs, which indicated the composites could recognize the corresponding template. The results of specific experiments further exhibited the recognition ability of the composites. Under optimum conditions, the linear range for Cyt is from 0.97 μM to 24 μM, and the detection limit is 0.41 μM. The new composites integrated the high selectivity of molecular imprinting technology and fluorescence property of QDs and could convert the specific interactions between imprinted cavities and corresponding template to the obvious changes of fluorescence signal. Therefore, a simple and selective sensing system for protein recognition has been realized.