title: Biofunctionalization of anisotropic nanocrystalline semiconductor-magnetic heterostructures.
abstract: Asymmetric binary nanocrystals (BNCs) formed by a spherical γ-Fe(2)O(3) magnetic domain epitaxially grown onto a lateral facet of a rodlike anatase TiO(2) nanorod have been functionalized with PEG-terminated phospholipids, resulting in a micellar system that enables the BNC dispersion in aqueous solution. The further processability of the obtained water-soluble BNC including PEG lipid micelles and their use in bioconjugation experiments has been successfully demonstrated by covalently binding to bovine serum albumin (BSA). The whole process has also been preliminarily performed on spherical iron oxide nanocrystals (NCs) and TiO(2) nanorods (NRs), which form single structural units in the heterostructures. Each step has been thoroughly monitored by using optical, structural, and electrophoretic techniques. In addition, an investigation of the magnetic behavior of the iron oxide NCs and BNCs, before and after incorporation into PEG lipid micelles and subsequently bioconjugation, has been carried out, revealing that the magnetic characteristics are mostly retained. The proposed approach to achieving water-soluble anisotropic BNCs and their bioconjugates has a large potential in catalysis and biomedicine and offers key functional building blocks for biosensor applications.
authors.affiliation: IPCF-CNR, Bari Division, Via Orabona 4, Bari 70126, Italy. n.depalo@ba.ipcf.cnr.it
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Depalo
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carrieri
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Comparelli
authors.forename: Marinella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Striccoli
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Agostiano
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bertinetti
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Innocenti
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sangregorio
authors.forename: M Lucia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Curri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016880:Anisotropy; D002417:Cattle; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D008280:Magnetics; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D008823:Micelles; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000737:chemistry; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D012666:Semiconductors; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000737:chemistry; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008823:Micelles; D010743:Phospholipids; C009495:titanium dioxide; C000499:ferric oxide; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D014025:Titanium