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Insulin‐Coated Gold Nanoparticles: A Plasmonic Device for Studying Metal–Protein Interactions
Author(s) -
Chanana Munish,
CorreaDuarte Miguel A.,
LizMarzán Luis M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.201100735
Subject(s) - nanoparticle , materials science , metal , metal ions in aqueous solution , plasmon , insulin , ionic bonding , colloidal gold , coating , nanotechnology , ionic strength , ion , kinetics , chemical engineering , chemistry , organic chemistry , metallurgy , aqueous solution , optoelectronics , medicine , physics , engineering , quantum mechanics , endocrinology
Insulin‐capped gold nanoparticles (Au@insulin NPs) are highly sensitive towards pH and heavy metals, due to the protein coating. Au@insulin NPs aggregate and disaggregate reversibly with pH and in the presence of various heavy metal ions, which can be monitored through reversible changes in their optical properties. The sensitivity of the NPs towards different metal ions is dissimilar and depends on the coordinative properties of each specific metal ion, its valence number, concentration, and reaction time (kinetics), representing a simple tool for studying fundamental metal–protein interactions. Moreover, Au@insulin NPs are biocompatible and highly stable at high ionic strengths, due to their robust protein coating.