"Versatile toolset" for DNA or protein immobilization: Toward a single-step chemistry

Covalent immobilization of non-modified biological materials as proteins or nucleic acids has been performed through a single and soft method. Based on diazonium salt chemistry, this protocol leads to an ultrathin grafted film, on metallic or polymer materials, which can eventually be used as a self-adhesive primer for immobilizing biological materials from aqueous solutions through a simple dipping step. Moreover, this self-adhesive primer may be patterned by cheap and easy methods as ink or UV masking. Biological models as low molecular weight DNA from salmon sperm and glucose oxidase (GOD) were covalently immobilized by this soft procedure. In order to evaluate the consequences of this non-specific covalent immobilization method on biological activity, enzymatic activity of GOD was monitored by electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). We thus demonstrate that such a self-adhesive primer represents a new and alternative process offering a versatile toolset for immobilizing biological material for biosensor development on conductive and non-conductive materials. (C) 2010 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.