Switchable electrostatic interactions between gold nanoparticles and coiled coilpeptides direct colloid assembly

Abstract

The nanoparticle-peptide interaction described here is based on electrostatic forces and the pH value can act as a trigger to direct the organization of functionalized nanoparticles in a reversible and repeatable manner. The ability of the peptide to interact with the charged gold nanoparticles is directly related to its helical structure and was not found for a random coil peptide with the same net charge. Interestingly, the interaction with nanoparticles seems to induce a fibrillation of the coiled coil peptide.

The non-covalent decoration of self-assembling protein fibers

“…In this vein, Yu's group has functionalized collagen-based scaffolds with Collagen Mimetic Peptides (CMPs) [16,17]; and has employed anionic CMPs to attach cell-growth factors to collagen scaffolds [18]. Coulombic interactions have also been used to organize gold nanoparticles and coiled-coils into reversible systems [19]. Here we describe the facile, non-covalent decoration of a-helical fibers, called SelfAssembling peptide Fibers (SAFs) [20e22], using straightforward charged peptides, called "SAF-tags".…”

Peptides for Specific Intracellular Delivery and Targeting of Nanoparticles: Implications for Developing nanoparticle-mediated Drug Delivery

“…The authors suggested that the Pep-1 carrier initially associated with the QD conjugates to allow initial interactions and crossing of the cell membrane and then dissociated from the complex, thus permitting further intracellular targeting [25]. Electrostatic chemistry has also been applied to negatively charged citrate-stabilized Au-NPs partnered with a positively charged coiled peptide and pH changes were even used as a trigger to alter the electrostatics and control assembly kinetics [26]. The ratio of peptide per NP may be somewhat controlled with this chemistry assuming that all the peptides would fit around the NP, however, it is difficult to control the final orientation that the peptide assumes.…”

Viral and Other Cell-Penetrating Peptides as Vectors of Therapeutic Agents in Medicine

“…However, for the latter, the noncovalent strategy for cargo and carrier has been used less often than the covalent one. CPPs could also be used to enhance other drug delivery systems such as polymer-based systems (e.g., micelles, dendrimers), liposomes , and inorganic carriers such as gold-, silver-, and ironbased nanoparticles (superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles) (Wagner et al, 2009;Shirazi et al, 2014;Zuo et al, 2014), and quantum dots (Delehanty et al, 2006;Liu et al, 2011Liu et al, , 2013aMartin et al, 2013). Most nanoparticles provide binding sites for different cargos and targeting peptides which can be used for diagnostics and therapy.…”