| AVS 54th International Symposium | |
| Biomaterial Interfaces | Thursday Sessions |
| Session BI-ThP |
| Session: | Biomaterial Interfaces Poster Session |
| Presenter: | G.J. Nusz, Duke University |
| Authors: | G.J. Nusz, Duke University S.M. Marinakos, Duke University A.C. Curry, Duke University A.B. Dahlin, Lund University, Sweden F. Hook, Lund University, Sweden A. Wax, Duke University A. Chilkoti, Duke University |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
We report the use of isolated gold nanorods as plasmonic transducers to detect the binding of streptavidin to biotin-conjugated nanorods on a surface in real time by tracking the wavelength shift of their resonant scattering spectrum using a darkfield microspectroscopy system. The limit-of-detection of streptavidin binding by a single biotinylated nanorod is 1 nM. An analytical model is presented that provides a rational framework from which optimal nanoparticle geometries can be predetermined for a specified detection experiment. In addition, the model provides a method for quantifying the number of molecules bound to the nanorod surface based on the resonant wavelength shift. Signal saturation occurs upon the binding of approximately 700 streptavidin molecules to the surface of gold nanorods that are immobilized on a glass substrate, with a detection limit of approximately 40 protein molecules per nanorod. The limits of molecular detection that can be theoretically achieved by a single nanorod are discussed as well as the prospects of detection of single receptor-analyte binding events in real-time.