Biomedical subjects

Christopher J Ackerson

Publications and source records attributed to Christopher J Ackerson.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Rigid, specific, and discrete gold nanoparticle/antibody conjugates.

A general method of rigid, specific labeling of proteins with gold clusters has been devised. The method relies on the conjugation of a glutathione monolayer-protected gold cluster (MPC) with a single chain Fv antibody fragment (scFv), mutated to present an exposed cysteine residue. Efficient formation of a gold-thiolate bond between the MPC and scFv depends on activation of the gold cluster by chemical oxidation. Once formed, the MPC-scFv conjugate is treated with a reductant to quench cluster reactivity. The procedure has been performed with an MPC with an average Au(71) core and an scFv directed against a tetrameric protein, the influenza neuraminidase. A complex of the MPC-scFv conjugate with the neuraminidase was isolated, and the presence of four gold clusters was verified by cryoelectron microscopy.

Chromatography, Ion Exchange↗

PubMed2005

Defined DNA/nanoparticle conjugates.

Glutathione monolayer-protected gold clusters were reacted by place exchange with 19- or 20-residue thiolated oligonucleotides. The resulting DNA/nanoparticle conjugates could be separated on the basis of the number of bound oligonucleotides by gel electrophoresis and assembled with one another by DNA-DNA hybridization. This approach overcomes previous limitations of DNA/nanoparticle synthesis and yields conjugates that are precisely defined with respect to both gold and nucleic acid content.

Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel↗

PubMed2005

Thiolate ligands for synthesis of water-soluble gold clusters.

Water-soluble monolayer-protected gold clusters (MPCs) have been an object of investigation by many research groups since their first syntheses were reported in 1998 and 1999. The basic requirements for a ligand to form a monolayer protecting a gold cluster were established some time ago for alkanethiolate MPCs, but there has been no such information published for water-soluble MPCs. We identify 6 new ligands capable of forming water-soluble MPCs, as well as 22 water-soluble ligands that fail to form MPCs. Our findings contribute not only to the definition of the requirements for MPC formation but also to the variety of MPCs available for applications in chemistry and biology.

Gold↗