Photoswitchable peptide antigens on solid surfaces

The anti-trans azobenzene monoclonal antibody was found to bind to a lipid monolayer carrying peptides containing a trans p-phenylazophenylalanine group on a mica surface. The binding of the antibody was directly observed by an atomic force microscope technique. The hapten-specific binding was also followed on lipid bilayers containing azobenzene groups developed on a quartz surface by using the quartz crystal microbalance technique. The binding was controlled by the cis-trans photoisomerization of the azobenzene group.