Towards a protein-selective Raman enhancement by a glycopolymer-based composite surface

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) offers non-damaging, molecular-level detection for biological applications.
• Biocompatible SERS substrates with specific adsorption capabilities are crucial for selective biomolecule detection.
• Designing SERS surfaces that leverage specific biomolecular interactions, like carbohydrate-protein binding, is an important strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate a glycopolymer-based composite surface for specific protein detection using SERS.
• To investigate the selective adsorption and Raman enhancement of proteins on the developed substrate.
• To explore the potential of this approach for studying sugar-protein interactions.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a dopamine-containing glycopolymer via sunlight-induced RAFT polymerization using DMA, MAG, and MAA monomers.
• Fabrication of a SERS substrate using the synthesized glycopolymer.
• Testing the substrate's specific protein adsorption capacity and selective Raman enhancement for Con A and BSA proteins.

Main Results:

• A dopamine-containing glycopolymer was successfully synthesized.
• The fabricated glycopolymer surface demonstrated specific protein adsorption.
• Selective Raman enhancement of Con A over BSA was successfully achieved, indicating specific protein detection.

Conclusions:

• The developed glycopolymer-based SERS substrate enables specific protein detection through selective adsorption.
• This approach offers a feasible method for designing SERS surfaces for protein analysis and studying sugar-protein interactions.