Methods for producing macromolecule-identifying polymers

1. A macromolecule identifying polymer having a molecular imprint of a macromolecule, comprising a structural unit derived from a vinyl monomer selected from the group consisting of N,N′-dimethylacrylamide, sodium acrylate, and acrylic acid, and a structural unit derived from polyethyleneglycol diacrylate having a solubility in water at 25° C. of 100% by mass or higher, wherein

said macromolecule identifying polymer changes its volume by 5% or less when it is immersed in water;

wherein said macromolecule identifying polymer is obtained by a method comprising polymerizing the vinyl monomer in an aqueous solution in the presence of the macromolecule, polyethyleneglycol diacrylate and a radical polymerization initiator to produce a polymer containing the macromolecule in its interior, and removing the macromolecule from the polymer containing the macromolecule to thereby produce the macromolecule identifying polymer having a molecular imprint of the macromolecule; and

wherein said radical polymerization initiator is an azo compound represented by general formula (I)

wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms and may be the same or different from each other, or a salt thereof.

2. The macromolecule identifying polymer according to claim 1 , wherein said structural unit derived from a vinyl monomer and said structural unit derived from polyethyleneglycol diacrylate are obtained as a result of the polymerization at a ratio of 1 to 200 moles of said polyethyleneglycol diacrylate to 1 mole of said vinyl monomer.

3. A macromolecule identifying film comprising the macromolecule identifying polymer of claim 1 or 2 .

4. A macromolecule identifying bead comprising the macromolecule identifying polymer of claim 1 or 2 .

5. The macromolecule identifying polymer of claim 1 , wherein the radical polymerization initiator is:

6. The macromolecule identifying polymer of claim 5 , wherein the radical polymerization initiator is

7. The macromolecule identifying polymer of claim 1 , wherein the polymerization is carried out at a temperature of 25-50° C.

8. The macromolecule identifying polymer of claim 1 , wherein the polymerization is carried out at a temperature of 35-40° C.

9. The macromolecule identifying polymer of claim 1 , wherein the polyethyleneglycol diacrylate has a number average molecular weight of 400 or more.

10. The macromolecule identifying polymer of claim 1 , wherein said macromolecule is a polypeptide, a polynucleotide, a sugar, or a derivative thereof.

11. A method for producing a macromolecule identifying polymer of claim 1 , comprising the steps of

polymerizing a starting monomer in an aqueous solution in the presence of a macromolecule, a crosslinker, and a radical polymerization initiator to produce a polymer containing the macromolecule in its interior, and

removing the macromolecule from the polymer containing the macromolecule to thereby produce a macromolecule identifying polymer having a molecular imprint of the macromolecule, and wherein

said crosslinker has a solubility in water at 25° C. of 100% by mass or higher.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the crosslinker is polyethyleneglycol diacrylate having a number average molecular weight of 400 or more.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said crosslinker is used at 1 to 200 moles per mole of said starting monomer.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said radical polymerization initiator has a 10 hour half-life decomposition temperature in the range of 30 to 50° C.

15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said macromolecule is a polypeptide, a polynucleotide, a sugar, or a derivative thereof.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein said polypeptide comprises 3 to 5000 amino acids or a derivative thereof.