A　novel　molecular　imprinting　sensor　based　on　TiO2　sol-gel　layers　embedding　Cu(OH)2　was　developed　for　protein　recognition.　Protein-imprinted　TiO2　layers　were　prepared　by　liquid　phase　deposition　(LPD)　using　lysozyme　(Lys)　as　a　template　protein.　The　synthetic　molecularly　imprinted　nanoparticles　(MIPs)　can　catalyze　o-phenylenediamine　(OPDA)　oxidation　to　produce　fluorescence　and　color.　Cu(OH)2　played　a　catalytic　role　in　this　reaction.　The　fluorescence　intensity　was　related　to　the　amount　of　MIPs,　but　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　imprinted　protein.　Taking　advantage　of　this　phenomenon,　the　imprinted　protein　can　be　detected　using　ELISA　plates　to　fixed　MIPs　by　OPDA　oxidation.　The　fluorescence　intensity　at　568　nm　(ex:　350　nm)　was　found　to　increase　with　increasing　concentration　of　Lys.　It　was　found　that　the　limit　of　detection　was　0.001　mg　mL-1　with　the　fluorescent　sensor　and　0.04　mg　mL-1　with　the　colorimetric　sensor　under　optimized　conditions.　The　results　show　that　the　MIPs　reached　saturated　adsorption　at　0.2　mg　mL-1.　Furthermore,　the　MIPs　showed　high　selectivity　compared　to　other　tested　proteins.　In　contrast,　the　fluorescence　change　of　the　non-imprinted　TiO2@Cu(OH)2　was　only　small.　The　proposed　method　will　be　a　useful　platform　for　recognition　of　protein　with　high　sensitivity　and　specificity.　©　2013　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.