Microcryogels as plastic antibodies for transferrin purification

Molecular imprinting technology (MIT) presents self-organization of functional monomers around a template, leading formation of specific recognition sites for the template with high selectivity. In this study, cryogels in microscale were fabricated as novel plastic antibodies via MIT for transferrin purification. After chemical and physical characterization studies, optimal hsTf adsorption conditions for the plastic antibodies were then determined by investigating parameters including medium pH and temperature, initial analyte concentration and salt concentration. Selectivity studies were performed by considering both size and isoelectric points of the proteins. Compared with the non-imprinted P(HEMATrp) microcryogels, the relative selectivity coefficients of the plastic antibodies for hsTf/MYB and hsTf/HSA were found to be 2.24 and 2.10 times higher, respectively. The findings indicated that the molecularly imprinted microcryogels could be selective, reusable and cost-friendly potential plastic antibodies for purification of transferrin.