title: Modulating the physicochemical and structural properties of gold-functionalized protein nanotubes through thiol surface modification.
abstract: Biomolecules are advantageous scaffolds for the synthesis and ordering of metallic nanoparticles. Rotavirus VP6 nanotubes possess intrinsic affinity to metal ions, a property that has been exploited to synthesize gold nanoparticles over them. The resulting nanobiomaterials have unique properties useful for novel applications. However, the formed nanobiomaterials lack of colloidal stability and flocculate, limiting their functionality. Here we demonstrate that it is possible to synthesize thiol-protected gold nanoparticles over VP6 nanotubes, which resulted in soluble nanobiomaterials. With this strategy, it was possible to modulate the size, colloidal stability, and surface plasmon resonance of the synthesized nanoparticles by controlling the content of the thiolated ligands. Two types of water-soluble ligands were tested, a small linear ligand, sodium 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate (MPS), and a bulky ligand, 5-mercaptopentyl β-D-glucopyranoside (GlcC5SH). The synthesized nanobiomaterials had a higher stability in suspension, as determined by Z-potential measurements. To the extent of our knowledge, this is the first time that a rational strategy is developed to modulate the particular properties of metal nanoparticles in situ synthesized over a protein bioscaffold through thiol coating, achieving a high spatial and structural organization of nanoparticles in a single integrative hybrid structure.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México , Ave. Universidad 2001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, México.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carreño-Fuentes
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Plascencia-Villa
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Palomares
authors.forename: Sergio E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Moya
authors.forename: Octavio T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Ramírez
mesh_terms: D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000737:chemistry*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D056831:Coordination Complexes / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D056831:Coordination Complexes; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; C061332:VP6 protein, Rotavirus; D006046:Gold