Robert Kenneth Kobos

A novel fluorocarbon-based immobilization technology

Abstract A new immobilization technology has been based on the adsorption of suitably modified biomolecules onto fluorocarbon surfaces. Protein ligands are controllably perfluoroalkylated before being introduced to the fluorocarbon matrix. This modification greatly enhances the avidity of the protein for the support, while biological activity and biospecificity are retained. There are applications of this technology in affinity chromatography, enzyme immobilization, biosensors, clinical diagnostics and biomaterials.

Polyfluoroalkyl sugar reagents for immobilization of proteins

Abstract A new class of fluorocarbon affinity resins for the separation and purification of immunoglobulins, antibodies, and other biomolecules has been introduced by Du Pont under the trade name Pedlex®. The discovery that proteins fluoroalkylated by n -C 8 F 17 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 NCO bind strongly to fluorocarbon surfaces underlies this technology. The resins work well with proteins, but enzymes invariably lose activity when adsorbed. Moreover, their use is restricted to aqueous media since organic solvents wash the fluoroalkylated proteins off the support. Tetra-, penta-, and hexa(polyfluoroalkyl) sugar reagents ( 1, 2, 3 R  CO(CH 2 ) m (CF 2 ) n CF 3 ) that overcome these limitations have been synthesized. Their preparation, model binding studies, and use in immobilizing chymotripsin and protein A on Teflon® will be discussed.