Molecular imprinted nanoPolymer nanomaterials: application in biomolecule recognition

Molecular imprinting has proved to be an effective technique for generating specific recognition sites in synthetic nanopolymers. These sites are tailor-made in situ by copolymerization of functional monomers and cross-linked around the template molecules. The print molecules are subsequently extracted from the polymer, leaving accessible complementary binding sites in the polymer network. Despite significant growth within the field, the majority of template molecules studied thus far are low molecular weight compounds and generally insoluble in aqueous systems. In biological systems, molecular recognition occurs in aqueous media. So, in order to create molecular imprinted polymers capable of mimicking biological processes, it is necessary to synthesize artificial receptors which can selectively recognize the target biological macromolecules such as peptides and proteins in aqueous media. Actually, the synthesis of molecular imprinted polymers specific for biomacromolecules has been a focus for many scientists working in the area of molecular recognition, since the creation of synthetic polymers that can specifically recognize biomacromolecules is a very challenging but potentially extremely rewarding work. The resulting molecular imprinted polymers with specificity for biological macromolecules have considerable potential for applications in the areas of solid phase extraction, catalysis, medicine, clinical analysis, drug delivery, environmental monitoring, and sensors. In this report, the authors discuss the challenges associated with the imprinting of peptides and proteins, and provide an overview of the significant progress achieved within this field. This report offers a comparative analysis of different approaches developed, focusing on their relative advantages and disadvantages, highlighting trends and possible future directions.