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Bioconjugation of Highly Luminescent Colloidal CdSe–ZnS Quantum Dots with an Engineered Two‐Domain Recombinant Protein
Author(s) -
Mattoussi H.,
Mauro J.M.,
Goldman E.R.,
Green T.M.,
Anderson G.P.,
Sundar V.C.,
Bawendi M.G.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/1521-3951(200103)224:1<277::aid-pssb277>3.0.co;2-c
Subject(s) - bioconjugation , conjugate , quantum dot , luminescence , nanotechnology , colloid , materials science , fluorescence , recombinant dna , nanocrystal , chemistry , electrostatics , optoelectronics , biochemistry , mathematical analysis , physics , mathematics , quantum mechanics , gene
We present a novel approach, based on molecular self‐assembly driven by electrostatic attractions, for conjugating inorganic colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots: QDs) having negatively charged surfaces with a two‐domain recombinant protein bearing a positively charged C‐terminal leucine zipper domain. Aggregation‐free QD/protein conjugate dispersions were prepared. Conjugates retain both properties of the starting materials, i.e., biological activity of the protein and spectroscopic characteristics of the QDs. Such hybrid bio‐inorganic conjugates represent a powerful fluorescent tracking tool, because they combine advantages of CdSe–ZnS quantum dots, such as chemical stability and a wide range of size‐dependent luminescence emission properties, with a straightforward electrostatic conjugation approach. We describe the design and preparation of a model QD/protein conjugate and present functional characterization of the conjugate using luminescence and bioassays.