Living organisms function through synchronized actions of selective localizing, transporting, and sorting of specific biomolecules in complex bio-fluids such as blood across environmentally vigilant cells and organs. The elegance of these natural processesarises from the hierarchical coordination of the chemo-mechanical actions of molecular reconfiguration and micro- to macroscopic mechanical motions in response to various environmental signals. Man-made systems strive for such adeptness but often lack the concerted motion that minimizes excessive effort. The challenge becomes to integrate robust, dynamic chemistries and cooperating mechanical motions that influence and act on each other to perform efficient and effective concerted biomolecule detection, transportation and separation, to advance biomedical and clinical technology that rely on diagnostics and purification with less energy input. Here, we show the use of a dynamic, chemo-mechano-biochemically modulated polymeric system, which is hierarchically configured, for concerted biomolecule catch and release. By embedding polymeric microstructures within a stimuli-responsive hydrogel that can function as a �muscle�, we are able to realize chemo-mechanical actuation of the microstructures as they bend and unbend according to the applied stimuli, here given as pH. By functionalizing the microstructure tips with a thrombin-specific aptamer which binds and unbinds its target according to pH, and immersing the system in a biphase microfluidic which allows for the introduction of two-layer fluids under laminar flow, we can achieve specific and efficient catch of thrombin from the ingoing mixture in the top phase and subsequent thrombin release in a separate flow in the bottom phase by applying the appropriate pH solutions. Moreover, the unique reversibility of hydrogel swelling and aptamer folding allows for repeated processing of a single input solution, enabling nearly 95% capture and release of ingoing target molecules from initial mixture.

Chemo-mechanically modulated biomolecule catch and release with aptamer-functionalized adaptively reconfigurable polymeric systems

248th National Meeting (2014)

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