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Journal ArticleDOI

Properties and applications of protein-stabilized fluorescent gold nanoclusters: short review

01 Jan 2012-Journal of Nanophotonics (International Society for Optics and Photonics)-Vol. 6, Iss: 1, pp 064504-1-064504-16
TL;DR: In this paper, the strategy for synthesizing fluorescent protein-gold nanoclusters and the characterization methods employed to study these systems are discussed, as well as the promising future for fluorescent protein and gold nanomaterials as long as research continues to uncover fundamental structure-property relation ships.
Abstract: Research is turning toward nanotechnology for solutions to current limitations in bio- medical imaging and analytical detection applications. New to fluorescent nanomaterials that could help advance such applications are protein-stabilized gold nanoclusters. They are potential candidates for imaging agents and sensitive fluorescence sensors because of their biocompat- ibility and intense photoluminescence. This review discusses the strategy for synthesizing fluorescent protein-gold nanoclusters and the characterization methods employed to study these systems. Optical properties and relevant light-emitting applications are reported to present the versatility of protein-gold nanoclusters. These new bio-nano hybrids are an exciting new system that remains to be explored in many aspects, especially regarding the determination of gold nanocluster local structure and the enhancement of quantum yields. Understanding how to finely tune the optical properties will be pivotal for improving fluorescence imaging and other nanocluster applications. There is a promising future for fluorescent protein-gold nanoclusters as long as research continues to uncover fundamental structure-property relation- ships. © 2012 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). (DOI: 10.1117/1.JNP.6
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is believed that with continued efforts to understand the interactions of biomolecule-protected Au/ Ag NCs with the biological systems, scientists can largely realize the great potential of Au/Ag NCs for biomedical applications, which could finally pave their way towards clinical use.

376 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Sub-nanometer-sized metal clusters, having dimensions between metal atoms and nanoparticles, have attracted tremendous attention in the recent past due to their unique physical and chemical properties. as discussed by the authors provides an account of the recent advances in their applications in areas such as environment, energy, and biology.
Abstract: Sub-nanometer-sized metal clusters, having dimensions between metal atoms and nanoparticles, have attracted tremendous attention in the recent past due to their unique physical and chemical properties. As properties of such materials depend strongly on size, development of synthetic routes that allows precise tuning of the cluster cores with high monodispersity and purity is an area of intense research. Such materials are also interesting owing to their wide variety of applications. Novel sensing strategies based on these materials are emerging. Owing to their extremely small size, low toxicity, and biocompatibility, they are widely studied for biomedical applications. Primary focus of this review is to provide an account of the recent advances in their applications in areas such as environment, energy, and biology. With further experimental and theoretical advances aimed at understanding their novel properties and solving challenges in their synthesis, an almost unlimited field of applications can be foreseen.

282 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Xun Yuan1, Zhentao Luo1, Yong Yu1, Qiaofeng Yao1, Jianping Xie1 
TL;DR: This Focus Review briefly summarizes the common syntheses for water-soluble highly-luminescent thiolate- and protein-protected Au/Ag NCs and their interesting luminescence properties, highlights recent progress in their use as optical sensors with an emphasis on the mechanisms underlying their selectivity, and discusses approaches to improving their sensitivity.
Abstract: In the past few years, highly luminescent noble metal nanoclusters (e.g., Au and Ag NCs or Au/Ag NCs in short) have emerged as a class of promising optical probes for the construction of high-performance optical sensors because of their ultrasmall size (<2 nm), strong luminescence, good photostability, excellent biocompatibility, and unique metal-core@ligand-shell structure. In this Focus Review, we briefly summarize the common syntheses for water-soluble highly-luminescent thiolate- and protein-protected Au/Ag NCs and their interesting luminescence properties, highlight recent progress in their use as optical sensors with an emphasis on the mechanisms underlying their selectivity, and finally discuss approaches to improving their sensitivity. The scope of the works surveyed is confined to highly luminescent thiolate- and protein-protected Au/Ag NCs.

282 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A simple strategy has been developed to synthesize highly luminescent thiolate Au@Ag nanoclusters (NCs) by using Ag(i) ions to bridge small Au(i)-thiolate motifs on the weakly luminescence thiolated Au NCs, leading to the formation of large Au( i)/Ag(i-thiolates on the NC surface and thus generating strong Luminescence via aggregation-induced emission.
Abstract: A simple strategy has been developed to synthesize highly luminescent thiolated Au@Ag nanoclusters (NCs) by using Ag(I) ions to bridge small Au(I)-thiolate motifs on the weakly luminescent thiolated Au NCs, leading to the formation of large Au(I)/Ag(I)-thiolate motifs on the NC surface and thus generating strong luminescence via aggregation-induced emission.

177 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Stable, nontoxic and red fluorescent emission BSA-Au NCs for selective detection of L-dopamine (DA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and as-prepared BSA -AuNCs will gain possible strategy and good platform for biosensor, drug discovery, and rapid disease diagnosis such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer diseases.
Abstract: Since the last two decades, protein conjugated fluorescent gold nanoclusters (NCs) owe much attention in the field of medical and nanobiotechnology due to their excellent photo stability characteristics. In this paper, we reported stable, nontoxic and red fluorescent emission BSA-Au NCs for selective detection of L-dopamine (DA) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The evolution was probed by various instrumental techniques such as UV-vis spectroscopy, High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The synthesised BSA-Au NCs were showing 4–6 nm with high fluorescent ~8% Quantum yield (QY). The fluorescence intensity of BSA-Au NCs was quenched upon the addition of various concentrations of DA via an electron transfer mechanism. The decrease in BSA-Au NCs fluorescence intensity made it possible to determine DA in PBS buffer and the spiked DA in CSF in the linear range from 0 to 10 nM with the limit of detection (LOD) 0.622 and 0.830 nM respectively. Best of our knowledge, as-prepared BSA-Au NCs will gain possible strategy and good platform for biosensor, drug discovery, and rapid disease diagnosis such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer diseases.

175 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Sensitive and multicolor fluorescence imaging of cancer cells under in vivo conditions are achieved and a whole-body macro-illumination system with wavelength-resolved spectral imaging is integrated for efficient background removal and precise delineation of weak spectral signatures.
Abstract: We describe the development of multifunctional nanoparticle probes based on semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) for cancer targeting and imaging in living animals. The structural design involves encapsulating luminescent QDs with an ABC triblock copolymer and linking this amphiphilic polymer to tumor-targeting ligands and drug-delivery functionalities. In vivo targeting studies of human prostate cancer growing in nude mice indicate that the QD probes accumulate at tumors both by the enhanced permeability and retention of tumor sites and by antibody binding to cancer-specific cell surface biomarkers. Using both subcutaneous injection of QD-tagged cancer cells and systemic injection of multifunctional QD probes, we have achieved sensitive and multicolor fluorescence imaging of cancer cells under in vivo conditions. We have also integrated a whole-body macro-illumination system with wavelength-resolved spectral imaging for efficient background removal and precise delineation of weak spectral signatures. These results raise new possibilities for ultrasensitive and multiplexed imaging of molecular targets in vivo.

4,634 citations


"Properties and applications of prot..." refers background in this paper

  • ...The intense photoluminescence observed from these protein-stabilized Au NCs has been reported in a number of studies(27) and is promising for replacing less biocompatible quantum dots used for imaging and targeting applications.(30) New studies strive to improve and optimize the photoluminescence property for applications such as toxic molecule detection(31) and biolabeling....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review describes recent advances in the synthesis of biomolecule-nanoparticle/nanorod hybrid systems and the application of such assemblies in the generation of 2D and 3D ordered structures in solutions and on surfaces.
Abstract: Nanomaterials, such as metal or semiconductor nanoparticles and nanorods, exhibit similar dimensions to those of biomolecules, such as proteins (enzymes, antigens, antibodies) or DNA. The integration of nanoparticles, which exhibit unique electronic, photonic, and catalytic properties, with biomaterials, which display unique recognition, catalytic, and inhibition properties, yields novel hybrid nanobiomaterials of synergetic properties and functions. This review describes recent advances in the synthesis of biomolecule-nanoparticle/nanorod hybrid systems and the application of such assemblies in the generation of 2D and 3D ordered structures in solutions and on surfaces. Particular emphasis is directed to the use of biomolecule-nanoparticle (metallic or semiconductive) assemblies for bioanalytical applications and for the fabrication of bioelectronic devices.

2,334 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
19 Oct 2007-Science
TL;DR: The crystallization and x-ray structure determination of a p-mercaptobenzoic acid–protected gold nanoparticle, which comprises 102 gold atoms and 44 p-MBAs, is reported, which is chiral, with the two enantiomers alternating in the crystal lattice.
Abstract: Structural information on nanometer-sized gold particles has been limited, due in part to the problem of preparing homogeneous material. Here we report the crystallization and x-ray structure determination of a p-mercaptobenzoic acid (p-MBA)-protected gold nanoparticle, which comprises 102 gold atoms and 44 p-MBAs. The central gold atoms are packed in a Marks decahedron, surrounded by additional layers of gold atoms in unanticipated geometries. The p-MBAs interact not only with the gold but also with one another, forming a rigid surface layer. The particles are chiral, with the two enantiomers alternating in the crystal lattice. The discrete nature of the particle may be explained by the closing of a 58-electron shell.

2,268 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A simple, one-pot, "green" synthetic route, based on the "biomineralization" capability of a common commercially available protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), has been developed for the preparation of highly stable Au nanocrystals (NCs) with red emission and high quantum yield.
Abstract: A simple, one-pot, "green" synthetic route, based on the "biomineralization" capability of a common commercially available protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), has been developed for the preparation of highly stable Au nanocrystals (NCs) with red emission and high quantum yield.

2,215 citations


"Properties and applications of prot..." refers background or methods in this paper

  • ...Xie et al.(49) ignited this interest for using BSAwhen they introduced a facile protein-...

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  • ...Xie et al.49 ignited this interest for using BSAwhen they introduced a facile proteindirected synthesis, which was subsequently adopted by many research groups for other proteinAu NC systems....

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  • ...Journal of Nanophotonics 064504-9 Vol. 6, 2012 Downloaded From: https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/Journal-of-Nanophotonics on 05 Dec 2019 Terms of Use: https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/terms-of-use 4.4 Biolabelling and Targeted Imaging Applications Returning to the BSA-Au NC, highlighted in this review, a couple of studies51,52 released shortly after Xie et al.49 were able to conjugate folic acid to the surface of BSA through amine linkages....

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  • ...Returning to the BSA-Au NC, highlighted in this review, a couple of studies(51,52) released shortly after Xie et al.(49) were able to conjugate folic acid to the surface of BSA through amine linkages....

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  • ...The application of Hg2þ detection was also proven to be viable with a detection limit of 10 nM, comparable to Xie et al.80 with 0.5 nM....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An unusual single crystal structure of a 25-gold-atom cluster protected by eighteen phenylethanethiol ligands is reported, which violates the empirical golden rule "cluster of clusters", and is in good correspondence with time-dependent density functional theory calculations for the observed structure.
Abstract: The total structure determination of thiol-protected Au clusters has long been a major issue in cluster research. Herein, we report an unusual single crystal structure of a 25-gold-atom cluster (1.27 nm diameter, surface-to-surface distance) protected by eighteen phenylethanethiol ligands. The Au25 cluster features a centered icosahedral Au13 core capped by twelve gold atoms that are situated in six pairs around the three mutually perpendicular 2-fold axes of the icosahedron. The thiolate ligands bind to the Au25 core in an exclusive bridging mode. This highly symmetric structure is distinctly different from recent predictions of density functional theory, and it also violates the empirical golden rule—“cluster of clusters”, which would predict a biicosahedral structure via vertex sharing of two icosahedral M13 building blocks as previously established in various 25-atom metal clusters protected by phosphine ligands. These results point to the importance of the ligand−gold core interactions. The Au25(SR)1...

1,905 citations


"Properties and applications of prot..." refers background in this paper

  • ...These sub-nanometer particles demonstrate molecular-like electronic transitions between HOMOLUMO energy levels, due to their finite cluster size.(1,2) As a result, energy transitions can be rationalized according to the jellium model (Efermi∕N)....

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  • ...Determining the precise sizes of the AumðSRÞn (R 1⁄4 organic capping ligand) magic cluster series has initiated major breakthroughs in quantum calculations of nanoclusters, leading to thorough explorations of their electronic structure.(1,14) Numerous articles continue to be published, revealing interesting properties and potential applications for the AumðSRÞn cluster....

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  • ...18–20 Computational and theoretical studies have also played a big part in probing the electronic structure.(1,14,21) Some of the unique electronic effects of Au NCs can be attributed to a surface staple-like bonding structure between the organic capping ligand and surface gold atoms (see Fig....

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