POLY 385-interfacing LCDs and bioresponsive hydrogels

Birchall, Louise S. and Ulijn, Rein V. and Webb, Simon J. (2009) POLY 385-interfacing LCDs and bioresponsive hydrogels. Abstracts of papers - American Chemical Society, 238. ISSN 0065-7727

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Abstract

We report the use of enzyme-responsive peptide hydrogels interfaced with LCD detection to give robust, power-free, portable and inexpensive sensing of proteases. In this approach hydrogel building blocks are contained within a sensor chamber. Addition of a protease results in cleavage of the hydrogel components producing Fmoc-peptide fragments which no longer self-assemble. Gel to solution transitions trigger an LCD response which can be visualised by placing the chamber between crossed polarisers: bright to dark transitions in the LC brightness indicate a positive optical response. Presented are our results for three systems where enzymatic hydrolysis of hydrogels could be followed by optical microscopy. A decrease in transmission was quantified via pixel counting and extent of hydrolysis followed by HPLC. Gel to solution transitions were monitored independently by fluorescence spectroscopy and imaged by AFM

ORCID iDs

Birchall, Louise S., Ulijn, Rein V. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7974-3779 and Webb, Simon J.;