Protein stabilization nanotechnology

It appears that fluorescence techniques are poised to receive more serious consideration for accelerated development efforts. Key obstacles remaining include stability of receptors and fluorophores, challenges that will possibly be met partially by results of the intense efforts of molecular biology, polymer science, and nanotechnology. Advances in nanomaterials such as quantum dots will likely enable improvements in optical stability and choice of excitation/emission wavelengths for various transduction methods. Stabilization of natural and artificial enzymes and rendering immunogenic protein receptors stealthy may also aid the pursuit. 

Palmore presented some recent examples of simple chemistry done on the surface of proteins that can have a tremendous effect on their overall stability. Jungbae Kim and Jay Grate of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory used simple chemistry to modify lysine residues on enzyme substrates and then tethered them to siloxane, allowing it to gel and harden. This example combines chemistry, nanotechnology, and biotechnology, and shows how chemists can affect how we look at catalysts. 

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