Feasibility of using carboxylic-rich polymeric surfaces for the covalent binding of oligonucleotides for microPCR applications

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Abstract
The chemical binding of oligonucleotide/DNA on polystyrene-related polymeric surfaces has been investigated using contact angle measurements, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and gravimetric analysis. The results of the covalent attachment of the phosphorylated oligonucleotides using the hetero-bifunctional cross linker 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride to polystyrene-co-maleic anhydride (PSMAA) and polystyrene-co-maleic acid (PSMA) are described. The immobilization efficiency of covalently coupled 26-mer oligonucleotides to polymeric surfaces was estimated as 0.3 × 1010 and 0.1 × 109 molecules mm−2 for PSMA and PSMAA, respectively. The results suggest that, although the covalent binding on PSMAA per se is not capable of the high density of DNA required by micro-PCR applications, the method has the potential to be used as a cheap alternative for other low-cost, less DNA-sensitive applications such as disposable biosensors.