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Functional Polymers for Biosensing Applications

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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (26 June 2021) | Viewed by 16126

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Laura Sola

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Guest Editor

Institute of Chemical Science and Technology, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-SCITEC)Via Mario Bianco, 9 20131 Milano, Italy
Interests: The main focus of Dr. Sola’s research is devoted to the development of innovative methodologies for the study of biomolecule interactions (e.g., DNA and proteins) in the micro-scale. In particular, her research activity regards the design, synthesis, and characterization of new monomers and polymers and their application in the development of analytical techniques ranging from microarray to electrophoresis. The research tends to be very interdisciplinary and has involved various collaborations with international groups within the framework of several national and international projects.

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recent progress in micro-fabrication techniques and microarray technologies have led to the development of miniaturized and fully integrated solid-phase analytical devices that can perform entire experiments, studies of complex cellular processes, high-throughput screening, and parallel diagnostic detection. They imply a scaling down of the entire analytical process (time, sample, reagent volumes, costs, etc.) while maintaining very high sensitivity. Considering their tiny dimensions, the aforementioned surfaces must be perfectly designed and controlled to maximize probe immobilization and target-binding efficiency, to reduce background noise and prevent non-specific molecular interaction.

It is widely recognized that, among the different methods employed to immobilize biomolecules on the surface of biosensors, polymers are the best choice since they allow the distribution of immobilization points within their thickness, producing better signal-to-noise ratios, and wider dynamic ranges through a unique combination of characteristics that include high probe loading capacity and low non-specific binding.

This Special Issue will highlight original articles and reviews that describe the synthesis and characterization of functional polymers and their application to biosensors for various biomedical applications including the study of biological processes, biomolecules interactions, biomarker discovery, molecular diagnosis, development of serological assays, genotyping, and detection of DNA mutations.

Dr. Laura Sola
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Microarray
Surface modification
Coatings
Functional polymers
Probe immobilization
Biosensors
Biomolecules interactions
Polymer synthesis
Immunosensing
Genotyping

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 3619 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of High-Throughput Multiplexed Phenotyping of Extracellular Vesicles Performed in 96-Well Microtiter Plates

by Malene Møller Jørgensen, Jenni Kathrine Sloth and Rikke Bæk

Polymers 2021, 13(14), 2368; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13142368 - 19 Jul 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2034

Abstract

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are promising biomarkers for several diseases, however, no simple and robust methods exist to characterize EVs in a clinical setting. The EV Array analysis is based on a protein microarray platform, where antibodies are printed onto a solid surface that enables the capture of small EVs (sEVs) by their surface or surface-associated proteins. The EV Array analysis was transferred to an easily handled microtiter plate (MTP) format and a range of optimization experiments were performed within this study. The optimization was performed in a comprehensive analytical setup where the focus was on the selection of additives added to spotting-, blocking-, and incubation buffers as well as the storage of printed antibody arrays under different temperatures from one day to 12 weeks. After ending the analysis, the stability of the fluorescent signal was investigated at different storage conditions for up to eight weeks. The various parameters and conditions tested within this study were shown to have a high influence on each other. The reactivity of the spots was found to be preserved for up to 12 weeks when stored at room temperature and using blocking procedure IV in combination with trehalose in the spotting buffer. Similar preservation could be obtained using glycerol or sciSPOT D1 in the spotting buffers, but only if stored at 4 °C after blocking procedure I. Conclusively, it was found that immediate scanning of the MTPs after analysis was not critical if stored dried, in the dark, and at room temperature. The findings in this study highlight the necessity of performing optimization experiments when transferring an established analysis to a new technological platform. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymers for Biosensing Applications)

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17 pages, 41152 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrochemical Dopamine Biosensor Based on Poly(3-aminobenzylamine) Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembled Multilayer Thin Film

by Tayanee Panapimonlawat, Sukon Phanichphant and Saengrawee Sriwichai

Polymers 2021, 13(9), 1488; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13091488 - 06 May 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2669

Abstract

Dopamine (DA) is an important neurotransmitter which indicates the risk of several neurological diseases. The selective determination with low detection limit is necessary for early diagnosis and prevention of neurological diseases associated with abnormal concentration of DA. The purpose of this study is to fabricate a poly(3-aminobenzylamine)/poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PABA/PSS) multilayer thin film for use as an electrochemical DA biosensor. The PABA was firstly synthesized using a chemical oxidation method of 3-aminobenzylamine (ABA) monomer with ammonium persulfate (APS) as an oxidant. For electrochemical biosensor, the PABA/PSS thin film was fabricated on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO)-coated glass substrate using the layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly method. The optimized number of bilayers was achieved using SEM and cyclic voltammetry (CV) results. The electroactivity of the optimized LBL thin film toward detection of DA in neutral solution was studied by CV and amperometry. The PABA/PSS thin film showed good sensitivity for DA sensing with sensitivity of 6.922 nA·cm⁻²·µM⁻¹ and linear range of 0.1–1.0 µM (R² = 0.9934), with low detection limit of 0.0628 µM, long-term stability and good reproducibility. In addition, the selectivity of the PABA/PSS thin film for detection of DA under the common interferences (i.e., ascorbic acid, uric acid and glucose) was also presented. The prepared PABA/PSS thin film showed the powerful efficiency for future use as DA biosensor in real sample analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymers for Biosensing Applications)

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13 pages, 3099 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Reliable, Label Free Quality Control Method for the Production of DNA Microarrays with Clinical Applications

by Elisa Chiodi, Francesco Damin, Laura Sola, Lucia Ferraro, Dario Brambilla, M. Selim Ünlü and Marcella Chiari

Polymers 2021, 13(3), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13030340 - 21 Jan 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2903

Abstract

The manufacture of a very high-quality microarray support is essential for the adoption of this assay format in clinical routine. In fact, poorly surface-bound probes can affect the diagnostic sensitivity or, in worst cases, lead to false negative results. Here we report on a reliable and easy quality control method for the evaluation of spotted probe properties in a microarray test, based on the Interferometric Reflectance Imaging Sensor (IRIS) system, a high-resolution label free technique able to evaluate the variation of the mass bound to a surface. In particular, we demonstrated that the IRIS analysis of microarray chips immediately after probe immobilization can detect the absence of probes, which recognizably causes a lack of signal when performing a test, with clinical relevance, using fluorescence detection. Moreover, the use of the IRIS technique allowed also to determine the optimal concentration of the probe, that has to be immobilized on the surface, to maximize the target recognition, thus the signal, but to avoid crowding effects. Finally, through this preliminary quality inspection it is possible to highlight differences in the immobilization chemistries. In particular, we have compared NHS ester versus click chemistry reactions using two different surface coatings, demonstrating that, in the diagnostic case used as an example (colorectal cancer) a higher probe density does not reflect a higher binding signal, probably because of a crowding effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymers for Biosensing Applications)

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Review

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24 pages, 1839 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in Antifouling Materials for Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensing in Clinical Diagnostics and Food Safety

by Roberta D’Agata, Noemi Bellassai, Vanessa Jungbluth and Giuseppe Spoto

Polymers 2021, 13(12), 1929; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13121929 - 10 Jun 2021

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 3490

Abstract

Strategies to develop antifouling surface coatings are crucial for surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing in many analytical application fields, such as detecting human disease biomarkers for clinical diagnostics and monitoring foodborne pathogens and toxins involved in food quality control. In this review, firstly, we provide a brief discussion with considerations about the importance of adopting appropriate antifouling materials for achieving excellent performances in biosensing for food safety and clinical diagnosis. Secondly, a non-exhaustive landscape of polymeric layers is given in the context of surface modification and the mechanism of fouling resistance. Finally, we present an overview of some selected developments in SPR sensing, emphasizing applications of antifouling materials and progress to overcome the challenges related to the detection of targets in complex matrices relevant for diagnosis and food biosensing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymers for Biosensing Applications)

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21 pages, 3195 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Role of Surface Chemistry in the Efficacy of Protein and DNA Microarrays for Label-Free Detection: An Overview

by Elisa Chiodi, Allison M. Marn, Matthew T. Geib and M. Selim Ünlü

Polymers 2021, 13(7), 1026; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13071026 - 26 Mar 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4078

Abstract

The importance of microarrays in diagnostics and medicine has drastically increased in the last few years. Nevertheless, the efficiency of a microarray-based assay intrinsically depends on the density and functionality of the biorecognition elements immobilized onto each sensor spot. Recently, researchers have put effort into developing new functionalization strategies and technologies which provide efficient immobilization and stability of any sort of molecule. Here, we present an overview of the most widely used methods of surface functionalization of microarray substrates, as well as the most recent advances in the field, and compare their performance in terms of optimal immobilization of the bioreceptor molecules. We focus on label-free microarrays and, in particular, we aim to describe the impact of surface chemistry on two types of microarray-based sensors: microarrays for single particle imaging and for label-free measurements of binding kinetics. Both protein and DNA microarrays are taken into consideration, and the effect of different polymeric coatings on the molecules’ functionalities is critically analyzed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymers for Biosensing Applications)

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