Low-cost and easy-to-use "on-chip ELISA" for developing health-promoting foods.

We have determined that a biological molecule can be physically immobilized on a polymer containing an azobenzene (azopolymer) using irradiating light. We immobilized antibodies and antigens on the surface of an azopolymer coated glass slide (antibody array) to establish "on-chip ELISAs". The assays used the flat-surface of a glass slide and could be applied to both sandwich and competitive ELISAs.

Virus-templated photoimprint on the surface of an azobenzene-containing polymer.

A photoimprint-based immobilization process is presented for cylindrical viruses on the surface of an azobenzene-bearing acrylate polymer by using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), 18 nm in diameter and ca. 300 nm in length, was employed as a model virus.

Orientation control of photo-immobilized antibodies on the surface of azobenzene-containing polymers by the introduction of functional groups.

In our photo-induced immobilization technique for an antibody (IgG) using azopolymers, the introduction of COOH and NMe(2) into the azopolymers, which can introduce surface charges, strongly affected the immobilization properties such as the efficiency of immobilization and the activity of the immobilized IgG (i.e., the orientation of the immobilized IgG).

Molecular scale imaging of F-actin assemblies immobilized on a photopolymer surface.

A photo-immobilization based process is presented for direct imaging of hierarchical assemblies of biopolymers using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The technique was used to investigate the phase behavior of F-actin aggregates as a function of concentration of the divalent cation Mg2+. The data provided direct experimental evidence of a coil-on-coil (braided) structure of F-actin bundles formed at high Mg2+ concentrations.

Molecular-shape imprinting and immobilization of biomolecules on a polymer containing azo dye.

We demonstrate a novel technique for molecular imprinting and immobilization on a surface of a polymer containing azo dyes (azopolymer). The azopolymer was found to be capable of immobilizing micrometer- and nanometer-scale macromolecules (e.g.

Thermally stable and hydrogen peroxide tolerant manganese peroxidase (MnP) from Lenzites betulinus.

A thermally stable and hydrogen peroxide tolerant manganese peroxidase (MnP) was purified from the culture medium of Lenzites betulinus by ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration and isoelectric focusing chromatography. The MnP purified from L. betulinus (L-MnP) has a molecular mass of 40 kDa and its isoelectric point was determined to be 6.