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We have demonstrated the site-specific adhesion of photobiotin as a method of producing protein micropatterns. These patterns were created by the selective UV irradiation of a thin film of deposited photobiotin. The UV activated areas of photobiotin were then developed using fluorescently labelled avidin. The size of pattern produced is an order of magnitude smaller than those previously reported by this method. The patterns were characterised, using atomic force microscopy (AFM) to determine their microstructure. It was found that the AFM could discriminate between the areas of protein immobilised to the surface through the activated photobiotin, and the bare substrate surface where the inactivated photobiotin had been removed during the washing process. The potential of these patterns as sensing surfaces is demonstrated through the creation of a spatially patterned immunosensing surface. In this case, a biotinylated antibody was bound to the surface and the pattern developed using a second antibody specific to the immobilised biotinylated antibody. This technique could thus provide a simple and efficient method of producing high density immunoassay systems.

The oxidation mechanism and adsorption of inosine 5V -monophosphate and hypoxanthine were investigated in solutions of different pH using voltammetric and impedance methods at glassy carbon electrodes. For both compounds, the pH dependence from differential pulse voltammetry showed that the same number of electrons and protons are involved in the rate-determining step of the electrochemical reaction. In the case of hypoxanthine, it was also possible to study the effect of different concentrations. At high concentrations of hypoxanthine, two oxidation peaks were observed, the first due to hypoxanthine oxidation with formation of oligomers and the second due to hypoxanthine oligomer oxidation, both compounds adsorbing strongly. Impedance measurements corroborated the voltammetric results and enabled the study of the adsorption of hypoxanthine on glassy carbon. D

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