Peptide‐Capped Gold Nanoparticles: Towards Artificial Proteins

Abstract

Peptides can be designed to form self-assembled monolayers on gold nanoparticles to give nanomaterials with some chemical properties analogous to those of proteins. A variety of molecular-recognition properties are readily integrated within the peptide monolayer. Monofunctionalized nanoparticles are obtained by using separation methods that have been optimized for proteins. Recent applications as artificial enzymes and artificial enzyme substrates are presented. The limitations and long-term potential of peptide-capped nanoparticles as artificial proteins are discussed.

Supramolecular Domains in Mixed Peptide Self‐Assembled Monolayers on Gold Nanoparticles

“…A pair of curved surfaces made of 11 by 11 peptides was constructed with the matrix peptides held fixed at a separation of 8 …”

“…[5] Structural nanotechnology, that is, the determination of the structures of nanomaterials at the submolecular scale, is essential for the future production of artificial nanomachines. [6] Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of thiolated small molecules provide a convenient way of controlling the surface properties of metal nanoparticles [7,8] leading in some cases to protein-like properties, for example, specific recognition, enzyme inhibition or catalytic activity. [9][10][11] Studies on planar SAMs suggest that domains could be engineered through phase separation, which generally occurs in mixed SAMs [12,13] and has also been observed in mixed self-assembled peptide nanofibers.…”

“…[8,27] The complexity can be encoded through the design of peptide sequences and through the combination of different peptides on a single Self-organization in mixed self-assembled monolayers of small molecules provides a route towards nanoparticles with complex molecular structures. Inspired by structural biology, a strategy based on chemical cross-linking is introduced to probe proximity between functional peptides embedded in a mixed self-assembled monolayer at the surface of a nanoparticle.…”

Peptide‐Grafted Nanodiamonds: Preparation, Cytotoxicity and Uptake in Cells

“…Nanoparticles, such as quantum dots, [1,2] gold nanoparticles [3][4][5] or carbon-based materials [6][7][8][9] offer, in addition to their remarkable physical properties, the possibility to be functionalised by biomolecules; this makes them suitable for sensing, detection, diagnostic, and/or therapeutic applications. Recently, quantum dots, [10] which have unique size-dependent fluorescence properties, have been designed for biological imaging.…”

DNA‐Based Self‐Sorting of Nanoparticles on Gold Surfaces

“…Using a combination allows adjustment of the number of DNA chains, if necessary down to one DNA chain per nanoparticle (statistically), which can be important for generating nanostructures. [39] We studied the site-selective binding of DNA-bearing gold nanoparticles of 15 and 40 nm diameter to spots of a gold surface displaying three different DNA sequences on 1.5 mm spots. The three-strand hybridization system provides additional flexibility over a two-strand system.…”