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Spectroscopic investigation of the effects of aqueous‐phase prepared CdTe quantum dots on protein hemoglobin at the molecular level
Author(s) -
Guo Dandan,
Liu Rutao
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of biochemical and molecular toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.526
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-0461
pISSN - 1095-6670
DOI - 10.1002/jbt.21953
Subject(s) - hemoglobin , chemistry , isothermal titration calorimetry , van der waals force , fluorescence , aqueous solution , photochemistry , quantum dot , hydrogen bond , heme , crystallography , biophysics , molecule , nanotechnology , biochemistry , materials science , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics , biology , enzyme
3‐Mercaptopropionic Acid‐modified CdTe quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized and characterized by infrared, fluorescence, and ultraviolet–visible absorption spectra and Nano‐ZetaSizer measurements. Then the interaction between QDs and hemoglobin was studied to investigate the effects of QDs on the structure and function of hemoglobin by using a variety of spectroscopy methods and isothermal titration calorimetry. The results showed van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding predominantly played major roles in the binding. The intrinsic fluorescence of hemoglobin was quenched with changes to the microenvironment of tyrosine and tryptophan residues and complex conformational changes of hemoglobin were induced with the loosening and unfolding skeleton. However, the heme in hemoglobin was still stable, indicating that the main physiological function of hemoglobin might not be significantly inhibited. This study will provide a new strategy to study the biological toxicity of QDs at the molecular level.