Particles Containing Multi-Block Polymers

Abstract

Polymer particles having a multi-block vinylic polymer attached to their surface are disclosed. The particles can be used in a variety of purification and detection methods.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A polymer particle having a multi-block vinylic polymer attached to its surface. 
     
     
         2 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the multi-block vinylic polymer comprises a plurality of block polymers, including a first block polymer and a second block polymer;   the first block polymer is hydrophilic and uncharged; and   the second block polymer comprises one or more functional groups capable of forming a covalent bond with a binding partner.   
     
     
         3 . The polymer particle of  claim 2 , wherein the second block polymer is charged or capable of being charged. 
     
     
         4 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , further comprising a third block polymer. 
     
     
         5 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-block vinylic polymer has two block polymers, three block polymers, or four block polymers. 
     
     
         6 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-block vinylic polymer has two block polymers. 
     
     
         7 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the first block polymer is formed from at least three identical monomer units. 
     
     
         8 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the second block polymer is formed from at least three identical monomer units. 
     
     
         9 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the first block polymer is formed from a first monomer unit, and the second block polymer is formed from a second monomer unit. 
     
     
         10 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein each block of the multi-block vinylic polymer has a molecular weight of about 500 Daltons to about 10,000 Daltons 
     
     
         11 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-block vinylic polymer comprises polymers of ethylene, styrene, acrylate, acrylic acid, acrylamide, hydroxymethyl acrylamide, N-tris(hydroxymethyl) acrylamide, vinyl chloride, tetrafluoroethylene, vinyl azlactone, vinylbenzylchloride, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-block vinylic polymer comprises polymers of methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethylacrylate, N-hydroxysuccimide methacrylate, tertbutyl acrylate, butylacrylate, ethoxyethylacrylate, ethylhexylacrylate, hydroxyethylacrylate, hydroxymethylacrylate, hydroxypropylacrylate, acrylate with PEG functionality, hydroxymethylacrylate, ethylacrylate, ethyl ether acrylate, ethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate, fluorescein o-acrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl acrylate, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-block vinylic polymer comprises a polymer of methacrylate. 
     
     
         14 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the first block polymer is a styrene polymer and the second block polymer is a methacrylate polymer. 
     
     
         15 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the terminal block polymer comprises at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of amino, carboxylic acid, activated carboxylic acid, succinimidyl ester, ester, acid chloride, halide, activated hydroxide, alkoxide, tosylate, brosylate, mesylates, hydroxyl, thiol, activated thiol, carbonate, maleimide, and epoxide. 
     
     
         16 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer particle is magnetic. 
     
     
         17 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer particle further comprises superparamagnetic crystals. 
     
     
         18 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer particle is porous. 
     
     
         19 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer particle is magnetic and porous. 
     
     
         20 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , having a diameter of about 0.1 μm to about 500 μm. 
     
     
         21 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , characterized as being spherical in shape. 
     
     
         22 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , characterized as being substantially monodisperse. 
     
     
         23 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , characterized as being substantially monodisperse and having a coefficient of variation of less than 20%. 
     
     
         24 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-block vinylic polymer is bound to a binding partner. 
     
     
         25 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-block vinylic polymer is bound to an antibody, amino acid, protein, peptide, polypeptide, enzyme, hormone, lymphokine, metabolite, antigen, hapten, lectin, avidin, streptavidin, biotin, toxin, poison, carbohydrate, oligosaccharide, polysaccharide, glycoprotein, glycolipid, nucleotide, oligonucleotide, nucleic acid or derivatized nucleic acid, DNA, RNA, receptor, virus particle, bacteria, virus component, cell, cellular component, natural lipid vesicle, synthetic lipid vesicle, or polymer membrane. 
     
     
         26 . The polymer particle of  claim 1 , further comprising a coating layer. 
     
     
         27 . A method of purifying a target material from a sample, the method comprising:
 providing a sample containing a target material;   providing polymer particles having a multi-block vinylic polymer attached to their surface;   contacting the sample and polymer particles under conditions suitable for binding of the target material to the polymer particles; and   separating the polymer particles from the sample.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising detecting the target material after the separating step. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising isolating the target material from the polymer particles after the separation step. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the target material is a peptide, protein, glycoprotein, lipid, carbohydrate, lipoprotein, glycoprotein, nucleic acid, DNA, RNA, PNA, aptamer, nucleoside, nucleotides, polysaccharide, lipid vesicle, virus, or a cell. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the target material is a cytokine, hormone, vitamin, surface receptor, hapten, antigen, antibody, enzyme, growth factor, recombinant protein, or a toxin. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the sample is biological fermentation media, cell lysate, prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells, suspension of virus particles, tissues, biological fluids, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, blood, lymph fluids, interstitial fluid, cell extracts, mucus, saliva, sputum, stool, and physiological or cell secretions. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the multi-block vinylic polymer is bound to an antibody, amino acid, protein, peptide, polypeptide, enzyme, hormone, lymphokine, metabolite, antigen, hapten, lectin, avidin, streptavidin, biotin, toxin, poison, carbohydrate, oligosaccharide, polysaccharide, glycoprotein, glycolipid, nucleotide, oligonucleotide, nucleic acid or derivatized nucleic acid, DNA, RNA, receptor, virus particle, bacteria, virus component, cell, cellular component, natural lipid vesicle, synthetic lipid vesicle, or polymer membrane.