Structural effects and nanoparticle size are essential for quantum dots-metallothionein complex formation

Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2015 Oct 1:134:262-72. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2015.06.045. Epub 2015 Jun 26.

Abstract

Interaction between semiconductor nanocrystals, cadmium telluride quantum dots (CdTe QDs) capped with mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) and metallothionein (MT) was investigated. MSA-capped CdTe QDs were synthesized in aqueous solution. Mixture of MT and MSA-capped CdTe QDs has been investigated by various analytical methods as follows: tris-tricine gel electrophoresis, fluorescence evaluation and electrochemical detection of catalysed hydrogen evolution. The obtained results demonstrate that MSA-capped CdTe QDs and MT do not create firmly bound stabile complex. However, weak electrostatic interactions contribute to the interaction of MT with MSA-capped CdTeQDs. It can be concluded that QDs size influences the QDs and MT interaction. The smallest QDs had the highest affinity to MT and vice versa.

Keywords: Complex; Interaction; Metallothionein; Quantum dot.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Electrochemical Techniques
  • Metallothionein / chemistry*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nanoparticles*
  • Quantum Dots*
  • Rabbits
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization

Substances

  • Metallothionein