We　have　developed　a　biomimetic　sensor　for　the　detection　of　human　immunodeficiency　virus　type　1　(HIV-1)　related　protein　(glycoprotein　41,　gp41)　based　on　epitope　imprinting　technique.　gp41　is　the　transmembrane　protein　of　HIV-1　and　plays　an　important　role　in　membrane　fusion　between　viruses　and　infected　cells.　It　is　an　important　index　for　determining　the　extent　of　HIV-1　disease　progression　and　the　efficacy　of　therapeutic　intervention.　In　this　work,　dopamine　was　used　as　the　functional　monomer　and　polymerized　on　the　surface　of　quartz　crystal　microbalance　(QCM)　chip　in　the　presence　of　template,　a　synthetic　peptide　with　35　amino　acid　residues,　analogous　to　residues　579-613　of　the　gp41.　This　process　resulted　in　grafting　a　hydrophilic　molecularly　imprinted　polymer　(MIP)　film　on　the　QCM　chip.　QCM　measurement　showed　that　the　resulting　MIP　film　not　only　had　a　great　affinity　towards　the　template　peptide,　but　also　could　bind　the　corresponding　gp41　protein　specifically.　The　dissociation　constant　(K　d)　of　MIP　for　the　template　peptide　was　calculated　to　be　3.17nM　through　Scatchard　analysis,　which　was　similar　to　those　of　monoclonal　antibodies.　Direct　detection　of　the　gp41　was　achieved　quantitatively　using　the　resulting　MIP-based　biomimetic　sensor.　The　detection　limit　of　gp41　was　2ng/mL,　which　was　comparable　to　the　reported　ELISA　method.　In　addition,　the　practical　analytical　performance　of　the　sensor　was　examined　by　evaluating　the　detection　of　gp41　in　human　urine　samples　with　satisfactory　results.　©　2011　Elsevier　B.V.