Supramolecular domains in mixed peptide self-assembled monolayers on gold nanoparticles.
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. The physical basis of the proximity measurement is a transition from intramolecular to intermolecular cross-linking as the functional peptides get closer. Experimental investigations of a binary peptide self-assembled monolayer show that this transition happens at an extremely low molar ratio of the functional versus matrix peptide. Molecular dynamics simulations of the peptide self-assembled monolayer are used to calculate the volume explored by the reactive groups. Comparison of the experimental results with a probabilistic model demonstrates that the peptides are not randomly distributed at the surface of the nanoparticle, but rather self-organize into supramolecular domains.
Duchesne
Laurence
L
School of Biological Sciences and Liverpool Institute of Nanoscale Science, Engineering and Technology, University of Liverpool, Biosciences Building, Crown Street, Liverpool L697ZB, UK.
Wells
Geoff
G
Fernig
David G
DG
Harris
Sarah A
SA
Lévy
Raphaël
R
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*
D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D010455:Peptides; D006046:Gold