Interferometric detection of chloramphenicol via its immunochemical recognition at polymer-coated nano-corrugated surfaces

Abstract

Three types of polymer-coated glass slides were prepared by acylation of their γ–aminopropyl derivatives with succinic anhydride or poly(p-nitrophenyl acylate) (PNPA) at various reaction times. The variations in duration of chemical adsorption of PNPA allowed control over nano-corrugation of the reactive surfaces employed for biosensing. The visually smooth and optically clear polymer-coated slides were used for immobilization of a conjugate of bovine serum albumin with chloramphenicol (CAP) and label-free measurement of concentration of this antibiotic. The sensor chips prepared in this way provided strong biosensing response due to fast biomolecular interactions and efficient competition of the target analyte during indirect immunoassay. The kinetics of formation and dissociation of immune complexes “conjugate-antibody” on the sensor chip surface was registered by the label-free methods of spectral-correlation and spectral-phase interferometry. The average thickness of immune complex adsorption layers was in the range of 5–12 nm. The highest value of kinetic association constant (kon = 5 × 104 M−1s−1) and the lowest equilibrium dissociation constant (Kdiss = 2 × 10-8 M−1) were achieved with the chips originated in the PNPA-coated slides, which were produced under short (2 min) polymer chemisorption and exhibited nano-corrugation almost unchanged with respect to the parent glass, according to the atomic-force microscopy. The detection limit for CAP detection was 80 pg/mL, and the dynamic range was 5 orders. The proposed methods for fabrication of sensor chips with nano-corrugated surface, the results of their characterization, as well as the developed assay can be employed for high-throughput recording of multiple molecular interactions by spectral interferometry and in a wide range of biosensing platforms for registration of biologically active compounds in medicine, veterinary, food control and ecological monitoring.