Nanoparticle-Biomolecule Hybrids

Katz, E. and Willner I. (2004) Integrated nanoparticle-biomolecule hybrid system synthesis, properties and applications. Angewandte Chemie-Intemational Edition, 43, 6042-6108. 

I. Willner and E. Katz, Integrated nanoparticle-biomolecule hybrid systems synthesis, properties, and applications. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 43, 6042-6108 (2004). 

E. Katz, I. WUlner, Integrated Nanoparticle-Biomolecule hybrid systems Synthesis, properties and applications , Angewandte Chemie-International Edition, 43, 6042 - 6108, (2004). 

Biomaterials such as proteins/enzymes or DNA display highly selective catalytic and recognition properties. Au nanoparticles or nanorods show electronic, photonic and catalytic properties. The convergence of both types of materials gives rise to Au NP-biomolecule hybrids that represent a very active research area. The combination of properties leads to the appearance of biosensors due to the optical or electrical transduction of biological phenomena. Moreover, multifunctional Au NP-peptide hybrids can be used for targeting nuclear cells where genetic information is stored and could be useful for biomedical applications [146]. 

Scheme 3.23 Different types of Au NP-biomolecule hybrids depending on biomolecule-nanoparticle interaction.

The tremendous progress in supramolecular chemistry and nanoscience provided intellectual concepts and guidelines to implement biomolecules and nano-objects as functional units for the self-assembly of biomolecular structures, or biomolecule-nanoparticle hybrid systems. Such biomolecular supramolecular complexes or hybrid biomolecular composites are anticipated to reveal properties and functions that emerge from the complexity of the structures. 

An application of biomolecule-nanoparticle hybrid supramolecular assemblies is the sensitive detection of p53, a tumor suppressor protein, by AuNP streptavidin conjugates capped with multiple ferrocene molecules.26 As shown in Figure 8.6, a mixed monolayer of double-stranded DNA and 1-hexanethiol on an Au electrode is used to capture p53, which binds to DNA containing the consensus site sequence. Subsequent conjugation of the captured p53 with biotin allowed for attachment of... 

In recent years, there has been a lot of research in the utilization of biomolecule-functionalized nanoparticles for the formation of hybrid nanostructures. While much effort was spent on solution systems, there are some examples that exploit the binding specificity of the biomolecules, for example, proteins, peptides, and DNA to assemble nanoparticles on surfaces. 

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