Use of nucleic acids anchor system to reveal apoferritin modification by cadmium telluride nanoparticles

The aim of this study was to synthesize cadmium telluride nanoparticles (CdTe NPs) modified apoferritin, and examine if apoferritin is able to accommodate CdTe NPs. Primarily, the thermostability of horse spleen apoferritin was tested and it's unfolding at 70 °C was observed. Cadmium telluride nanoparticles (CdTe NPs) were synthesized both within apoferritin protein cage and on its surface. The thermal treatment of apoferritin with CdTe NPs resulted in the aggregation of cores, which was indicated by changes in the absorption spectra and the shape of apoferritin tryptophan fluorescence. The apoferritin modified with CdTe NPs was additionally modified with gold nanoparticles and attached to magnetic particles via oligonucleotide using gold affinity to thiol group. This anchor system was used to separate the construct using external magnetic field and to analyse the molecules attached to apoferritin.