Multidomain peptides as single-walled carbon nanotube surfactants in cell culture

We present a series of short, multidomain peptides as biocompatible solubilizing agents of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). These peptides are organized into an ABA block motif, where the A block is composed of charged amino acids, such as glutamic acid, and the B block is composed of alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic residues. The hydrophobic amino acid residues interact with SWCNT sidewalls, while the hydrophilic residues interact primarily with water in an aqueous solution. When many peptides assemble along the length of the nanotube, it becomes effectively encapsulated within a peptide nanofiber. This noncovalent interaction between the peptide and the nanotube solubilizes SWCNTs while keeping the electronic structure of the nanotube intact, thereby preserving the optical and electrical properties that make SWCNTs promising for use in biological applications. To assess the toxicity of these peptide coatings, they were added to cultures of NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblasts and the effect on cell viability was measured. Toxicity was found to be far lower than for ionic surfactants typically used for SWCNT suspension and similar to Pluronics. The near-IR fluorescence intensity of SWCNTs in peptide suspensions was comparable to that in Pluronics. Five surfactants were tested for their effect on the proliferation of NIH 3T3 cells with and without SWCNTs. Although some differences were observed among surfactants, in no case did the presence of SWCNTs make a statistically significant difference. Based on their ability to solubilize SWCNTs, the fluorescence of the suspended tubes, their minimal impact on cell viability, and their potential for easy chemical modification, multidomain peptides have been found to have excellent potential as a biocompatible surfactant for suspension of SWCNTs.