Abstract:
Applications of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in bioimaging and biosensing have been limited by difficulties with isolating single-chirality nanotube preparations with desired functionalities. Unique optical properties, such as multiple narrow near-infrared bands and several modes of signal transduction, including solvatochromism and FRET, are ideal for live cell/organism imaging and sensing applications. However, internanotube FRET has not been investigated in biological contexts. We developed single-chirality subcellular SWCNT imaging probes and investigated their internanotube FRET capabilities in live cells. To functionalize SWCNTs, we replaced the surfactant coating of aqueous two-phase extraction-sorted single-chirality nanotubes with helical polycarbodiimide polymers containing different functionalities. We achieved single-chirality SWCNT targeting of different subcellular structures, including the nucleus, to enable multiplexed imaging. We also targeted purified (6,5) and (7,6) chiralities to the same structures and observed internanotube FRET within these organelles. This work portends the use of single-chirality carbon nanotube optical probes for applications in biomedical research.
摘要:
单壁碳纳米管(SWCNT)在生物成像和生物传感中的应用受到分离具有所需功能的单手性纳米管制剂的困难的限制。独特的光学性能,如多个窄近红外波段和几种信号转导模式,包括溶剂化变色和FRET,是理想的活细胞/生物体成像和传感应用。然而,纳米管间FRET尚未在生物学背景下进行研究。我们开发了单手性亚细胞SWCNT成像探针,并研究了它们在活细胞中的纳米管间FRET能力。为了使SWCNT功能化,我们用含有不同官能团的螺旋聚碳二亚胺聚合物代替了含水两相萃取分选单手性纳米管的表面活性剂涂层。我们实现了不同亚细胞结构的单手性SWCNT靶向,包括细胞核,启用多路成像。我们还将纯化的(6,5)和(7,6)手性靶向相同的结构,并观察到这些细胞器内的纳米管间FRET。这项工作预示着单手性碳纳米管光学探针在生物医学研究中的应用。