Molecular integration on phospholipid polymer-coated magnetic beads for gene expression analysis in cells

Magnetic polymer beads, composed of a polystyrene core and hydrophilic poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC)) graft layer, containing magnetic nanoparticles were prepared for analyzing genes in the cells. The initiator group for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was provided on the surface of the beads and polymerization of MPC created the poly(MPC) graft layer. The terminal bromine group of poly(MPC) chains converted to a reactive group. Streptavidin was immobilized using the terminal reactive group in the poly(MPC) chains for capturing the biotinated DNA primer of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). After selective binding of three kinds of messenger RNA from the cell lysate, PCR was carried out to increase complementary DNA. The polymer beads were stable even under the PCR thermal cycling conditions, and dispersed again easily. The magnetic polymer beads can be candidate solid support for PCR of cell lysates.