Work

Thermodynamically Controlled Separation of Polyvalent 2-nm Gold Nanoparticle-Oligonucleotide Conjugates

Year: 2008

Type: article

Abstract: We describe the synthesis of small (2-nm diameter) gold nanoparticles densely functionalized with thiolated DNA (DNA-Au NPs) and a method to separate these particles from excess free DNA after synthesis. The separation method utilizes the thermodynamically enhanced binding properties of 2-nm DNA-Au NPs, compared to free excess DNA, to selectively hybridize these small particles to larger (15-nm diameter) DNA-Au NPs and form aggregates that can be isolated by simple centrifugation. These 2-nm DNA-Au NPs are obtained in a 46% overall yield, have a high surface coverage of DNA (64.8 +/- 6.4 pmol/cm2), and as a result, exhibit increased melting temperatures and cooperative melting properties.

Source: Journal of the American Chemical Society

DOI: 10.1021/ja800797h

Authors: Jae-Seung Lee, Dwight S. Seferos, David A. Giljohann, Chad A. Mirkin

Institutions: Northwestern University, International Institute for Nanotechnology

Language: English

Topic: Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute

Awards: Nanomaterials for Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics, G9000165630