Synthesis of Photopolymerizable Glycolipids and their Application as Scaffolds to Immobilize Proteins with a Micron-Sized Pattern

Abstract

Photopolymerizable glycolipids incorporating ceramide- or amido-type linkers and able to form stable monolayers were efficiently synthesized by chemical and enzymatic methods. Glycolipid polymer films served as platforms for the immobilization of proteins through specific carbohydrate–protein interactions at the air–water interface. Carbohydrate-binding proteins deposited on the glycolipid film were observed by atomic force microscopy, which showed varying submicron-sized protein patterns such as dendrites, dots, and networks, depending on the lipid structure, membrane preparation process, and sugar density of the membrane. Surface plasmon resonance measurement confirmed that the subunit-type lectins immobilized on the glycolipid membranes exhibited the ability to interact specifically with carbohydrate ligands by using unoccupied binding sites.