Using liquid crystals to detect affinity microcontact printed biomolecules

1. A method for detecting a ligand in a sample comprising:

(a) contacting a sample having a ligand with an affinity substrate, wherein the affinity substrate comprises a receptor capable of specifically binding said ligand, the receptor binding the ligand upon contact with the sample;

(b) contacting the affinity substrate with a detection surface comprising a hydrophilic, amine-terminated self-assembled monolayer comprising an aminoalkanethiol or aminosilane, wherein the ligand which is bound to the receptor is thereby transferred to the detection surface, and wherein the detection surface is capable of both uniformly anchoring liquid crystal in the absence of the ligand and binding non-specifically to the ligand; and

(c) detecting the presence of the ligand on the detection surface by contacting the detection surface with a liquid crystal, wherein the presence of the ligand on the detection surface is detected by a change in the orientation of the liquid crystal contacted with the detection surface.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

(d) washing the affinity substrate after (a);

(e) washing the detection surface after (b); or

(f) both (d) and (e).

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the receptor or ligand comprises a biomolecule, a biomolecule recognition agent, a peptide, a polypeptide, a protein, a carbohydrate, a toxin, a metal, a heavy metal, a chelator, a pathogen, a virus, a bacterium, a mammalian cell or part of a mammalian cell, a nucleic acid, a nucleic acid analog or mimic, a sugar, an antibody, a Fab, an organic molecule, a lipid, a phospholipid, a drug, a chemical agent, a pesticide or a herbicide.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the affinity substrate comprises a polymer, a silica material, a metal or a metal oxide.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the affinity substrate comprises polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS).

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the PDMS of the affinity substrate is further terminated by an antibody which acts as the receptor capable of specifically binding said ligand, the antibody binding the ligand upon contact with the sample.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the receptor is bound to the affinity substrate via one or more linking moieties.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of ligand present in the sample is quantified.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the receptor comprised by the affinity substrate is capable of detecting presence of protein phosphorylation in Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) residues.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the self-assembled monolayer is pretreated with an acid prior to (b).

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein contacting the affinity substrate with the detection surface is performed on at least a portion of the affinity substrate that is curved.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detection surface causes homeotropic anchoring in the absence of the transferred ligand.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal comprises a nematic liquid crystal, smectic liquid crystal, polymeric liquid crystal, lyotropic liquid crystal, chromonic liquid crystal, frustrated liquid crystals, thermotropic liquid crystal, columnar liquid crystal, nematic discotic liquid crystal, calamitic nematic liquid crystal, ferroelectric liquid crystal, discoid liquid crystal, or cholesteric liquid crystal.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal is pretreated by illumination with UV light.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid crystal comprises 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl (5CB), or doped salt thereof.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein orientation of the liquid crystal is detected optically or electrically.