Peptide and protein arrays and direct-write lithographic printing of peptides and proteins

A method of direct-write nanolithography for improving the deposition of selected peptide patterning compounds comprising:

• providing a substrate surface;
• providing a nanoscopic tip with a selected peptide patterning compound thereon;
• depositing the selected peptide patterning compound from the tip to the substrate surface to produce a pattern,
• wherein the tip is modified by a layer comprising one or more selected hydrophilic polyalkylene glycol compounds to improve deposition of the selected peptide patterning compound to the substrate surface;
• wherein the depositing step is carried out at a rate of at least about 85 dots per four minutes per tip.

A method of direct-write nanolithography comprising:

• providing an atomic force microscopic tip modified with one or more polyalkylene glycol compounds to resist protein adsorption and which is coated with protein,
• providing a substrate comprising an electrostatically charged surface, and
• depositing the protein on the surface to form a protein pattern
• wherein the depositing step is carried out at a rate of at least about 85 dots per four minutes per tip.

A method of direct-write nanolithography for improving the deposition of selected protein patterning compounds consisting essentially of:

• providing a substrate surface;
• providing a nanoscopic tip with a selected natural protein patterning compound thereon;
• depositing the selected protein patterning compound from the tip to the substrate surface to produce a pattern,
• wherein the tip is modified by a hydrophilic compound to improve deposition of the selected protein patterning compound to the substrate surface, wherein the hydrophilic compound is one or more polyalkylene glycol silane compounds having a molecular weight of about 2,000 or less and, wherein the depositing step is carried out at a rate of at least about 85 dots per four minutes per tip.

A method for improving the deposition of selected peptide patterning compounds consisting essentially of:

• providing a substrate surface;
• providing a nanoscopic tip with a selected natural peptide patterning compound thereon;
• depositing the selected peptide patterning compound from the tip to the substrate surface to produce a pattern by direct-write nanolithography,
• wherein the tip is modified by a hydrophilic compound to improve deposition of the selected peptide patterning compound to the substrate surface, wherein the depositing step is carried out at a rate of at least about 85 dots per four minutes per tip, and wherein the hydrophilic compound is one or more polyalkylene glycol silane compounds having a molecular weight of about 2,000 or less.