Recognition and Selective Transport of Nucleic Acid Components through Molecularly Imprinted Polymeric Membranes

Abstract

To induce “molecular memory” in a membrane substrate at the same time that the membrane was prepared from its polymer solution, an alternative molecular imprinting technique was applied. Upon membrane formation, a “molecular memory” of the imprint molecule is retained by the formed membrane that recognizes or favors interaction with print molecule analogues. In the present study, polystyrene resin bearing a tetrapeptide derivative, a derivative of natural polymer, and an entirely non-chiral synthetic polymer were adopted as candidate materials to form molecular recognition sites. 9-Ethyladenine was adopted as a print molecule. These molecularly imprinted polymeric membranes recognized and adsorbed adenosine (As), which is an analogue of the print molecule, in preference to guanosine (Gs) from As/Gs mixtures. However Gs was permeated in preference to As contrary to adsorption selectivity, possibly because of the relatively high affinity between As and the membrane.