A novel approach to surface specific biomolecules: In vitro selection on surfaces (ISOS)

COLL 231

Scott F. Sweeney, ssweeney@uoregon.edu1, Amy E. Mahady2, J. Andrew Berglund, aberglund@molbio.uoregon.edu2, and James E. Hutchison, hutch@uoregon.edu1. (1) Department of Chemistry and Materials Science Institute, University of Oregon, 1253 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, (2) Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, 1229 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1229
Much recent research has been focused upon using directed evolutionary techniques, such as phage display or SELEX, for the identification of biological reagents useful for materials applications ranging from synthesis and self-assembly of nanomaterials to implant materials. One drawback to most current techniques is an inability to accurately address specific surfaces, for example crystallographic planes or self-assembled monolayers. Typically selections on surfaces are carried out by placing the entire substrate into a solution of the biomolecule of interest, leading to selection for not only the surface of interest but also the remainder of the substrate. To address this challenge, we have developed in vitro selection on surfaces (ISOS), a method that allows for the selection of biomolecules specific to a given surface of interest. Herein we report (i) the development of the ISOS technique, including a novel microreactor for carrying out ISOS; (ii) the use of ISOS to identify gold binding RNA aptamers; (iii) use of ISOS to target Au (111), (100) and (110) surfaces using phage display; and (iv) ongoing efforts to prepare novel gold nanomaterials using selected gold specific biomolecules.