Collagen-Gold Nanoparticle Conjugates for Versatile Biosensing

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Noble metal nanoparticles integrated with proteins offer potential for versatile biosensors.
• Proteins provide selectivity, while nanoparticles offer unique optical properties for colorimetric detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a protein-nanoparticle conjugate for colorimetric biosensing.
• To utilize collagen's extracellular matrix interactions for selective analyte detection.

Main Methods:

• Integration of collagen with 10 nm gold nanoparticles to form a conjugate.
• Detection of glucose via collagen fibril cross-linking and nanoparticle proximity (LSPR shift).
• Detection of heparin using a competition assay with heparin-gold nanoparticles.

Main Results:

• The collagen-nanoparticle conjugate selectively detects both glucose and heparin.
• Detection occurs within the physiological concentration range for both analytes.
• Glucose detection in 50% mouse serum shows a linear range of 3-25 mM.

Conclusions:

• Collagen-gold nanoparticle conjugates offer a versatile platform for colorimetric biosensing.
• The developed biosensor demonstrates potential for detecting clinically relevant analytes.
• This approach enables simple, selective, and colorimetric detection of glucose and heparin.