AFM-based force spectroscopy on polystyrene brushes: effect of brush thickness on protein adsorption

Langmuir. 2013 Feb 12;29(6):1850-6. doi: 10.1021/la302212h. Epub 2013 Jan 23.

Abstract

Herein we present a study on nonspecific binding of proteins at highly dense packed hydrophobic polystyrene brushes. In this context, an atomic force microscopy tip was functionalized with concanavalin A to perform single-molecule force spectroscopy measurements on polystyrene brushes with thicknesses of 10 and 60 nm, respectively. Polystyrene brushes with thickness of 10 nm show an almost two times stronger protein adsorption than brushes with a thickness of 60 nm: 72 pN for the thinner and 38 pN for the thicker layer, which is in qualitative agreement with protein adsorption studies conducted macroscopically by fluorescence microscopy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Immobilized Proteins / chemistry*
  • Mechanical Phenomena
  • Microscopy, Atomic Force*
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Polystyrenes / chemistry*
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Immobilized Proteins
  • Polystyrenes