Paintable proteins: biofunctional coatings via covalent incorporation of proteins into a polymer network

Abstract

Attaching proteins to surfaces while maintaining bioactivity is a promising avenue for developing new functional materials. This work describes a method to rapidly apply bioactive coatings by conjugating protein into an adhesive network using an ortho-phthaldialdehyde (oPA)-based linker. The polymer matrix was generated using a copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) polymerization on a commercial, antifouling copper-based paint that had not been previously examined as a catalytic material. After undergoing bioconjugation with the oPA linker, protein was retained at a higher rate on the surface when compared either with the control, which lacked a linker, or with a commercially-available maleimide linker. The ability to apply in situ, polymerize, and adhere biomacromolecules to surfaces while retaining their efficacy enables the creation of novel functional materials with properties usually reserved for the biological domains.