Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Katie McGuire, Suhang He, Jennifer Gracie, Charlotte Bryson, Dazhong Zheng, Alasdair W. Clark, Jesko Koehnke, David J. France, Werner M. Nau, Tung-Chun Lee, William J. Peveler
Summary: This study demonstrates that aggregation of fluorescent quantum dot (QD) linked with cucurbiturils (CBs) can be broken-up by including guest molecules, while retaining CBs adsorbed on the surface. At the same time, the QD surface can be modified by the functional tail of the guest, enabling a non-covalent, click-like modification of nanoparticles in aqueous solution. This approach provides divergent routes for nano-architectures with rich functionalities for theranostics and photonics in aqueous systems.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Ali Dabbous, Pierre Bauer, Coralie Marcucci, Sandy Perie, Sapna Gahlot, Christian Lombard, Sylvain Caillat, Jean-Luc Ravanat, Jean-Marie Mouesca, Stephanie Kodjikian, Aude Barbara, Fabien Dubois, Vincent Maurel
Summary: A new modular and easy-to-synthesize photocatalyst was prepared by assembling colloidal CdSe/ZnS quantum dots and gold nanoparticles. The optimized composite exhibited much improved photocatalytic performances due to efficient electron transfer from quantum dots to gold nanoparticles.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Brandon Davis, Peng Shi, Erin Gaddes, Jinping Lai, Yong Wang
Summary: This study investigated the reversible display of supramolecular nanomaterials on the surface of living cells. The data showed that DNA initiators could induce the self-assembly of DNA-alginate conjugates to form supramolecular nanomaterials and amplify the fluorescence signals on the cell surface. Complementary DNA (cDNA), DNase, and alginase could all trigger the reversal of the signals from the cell surface.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alex Gibney, Raphael E. F. de Paiva, Vandana Singh, Robert Fox, Damien Thompson, Joseph Hennessy, Creina Slator, Christine J. McKenzie, Pegah Johansson, Vickie McKee, Fredrik Westerlund, Andrew Kellett
Summary: In this study, a Cu-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction produced a 1,2,3-triazole linker that was used to create Cu-binding artificial metallo-nucleases (AMNs). A bioactive C-3-symmetric ligand called TC-Thio was developed using biologically inert reaction partners. The ligand formed Cu-II and Cu-I complexes through Cu coordination, and showed potent DNA binding and cleaving abilities. Mechanistic studies revealed that DNA recognition occurred at the minor groove, leading to oxidative damage through a pathway dependent on superoxide and peroxide. Single molecule imaging demonstrated that the complex caused DNA damage recognized by base excision repair enzymes, comparable to the clinical drug temozolomide.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ruijia Huang, Ying Xu, Jihui Du, Qiong Guan, Xiaoqing Cai, Feng Li, Jidong Wang, Wenwen Chen
Summary: Copper is an essential element in the human body and its excessive presence is associated with various diseases. A chemical sensor based on the Cu-catalyzed click reaction and fluorescence-enhanced substrate has been developed for selective detection of Cu2+. This sensor can detect Cu2+ as low as 3.87 nM within 10 minutes and has potential applications in disease diagnosis and antibiotic susceptibility testing.
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Ziyang He, Jiaxin Cheng, Wenfeng Yan, Wei Long, Hui Ouyang, Xin Hu, Meiying Liu, Naigen Zhou, Xiaoyong Zhang, Yen Wei
Summary: A simple, economical, and direct strategy for synthesis of PEG@CQDs was developed, which exhibited good water dispersibility and fluorescence properties. Cell viability and internalization of PEG@CQDs were tested, showing low toxicity towards HepG2 cells and strong green fluorescence when excited with a 405 nm laser.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jan P. Menzel, Benjamin B. Noble, James P. Blinco, Christopher Barner-Kowollik
Summary: Predicting the conversion and selectivity of photochemical reactions presents a unique challenge compared to thermally induced reactivity. The authors introduce a framework for the quantitative prediction of the time-dependent progress of a photoligation reaction and predict LED-light induced conversion through a wavelength-resolved numerical simulation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yawen You, Qingqing Deng, Yibo Wang, Yanjuan Sang, Guangming Li, Fang Pu, Jinsong Ren, Xiaogang Qu
Summary: This study reports on a DNA-based biocompatible, highly efficient, and precisely targeted copper nanocatalyst, which exhibits excellent catalytic activity and achieves efficient prodrug activation and antitumor effects in cancer cells.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Hira Khalid, Muhammad Farooq Khan, Bilal Ahmad, Muhammad Ismail, Muhammad Zahid, Ahmed Ismail
Summary: In this study, carbon nanodots (CNDs) were synthesized using grass as a carbon source and characterized by various techniques. The grass-derived CNDs exhibited strong absorption and fluorescence emission, and showed excellent sensitivity and selectivity for the detection of Cu2+ ions.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE-MATERIALS IN ELECTRONICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Seungki Shin, Kyungwan Kang, Hyunwoo Jang, Namyoung Gwak, Seongchan Kim, Tae Ann Kim, Nuri Oh
Summary: This paper presents a facile ligand-crosslinking strategy based on thiol-ene click chemistry for the fabrication of robust quantum dot films. The strategy enables microscale photo-patterning and enhances solvent resistance. The method can also be extended to other ligand-capped nanocrystals.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Ying Wang, Langjian Dong, Jing Zhao, Mohammed Jalalah, M. S. Al-Assiri, Farid A. Harraz, Ya Cao
Summary: The developed dual-functional probe sensing method can specifically identify CD44 even in serum samples and breast cancer cells with broad detection range and high sensitivity. The method can monitor changes in CD44 expression, providing a new approach to study stem-like properties in breast cancer.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chunwei Dong, Ren-Wu Huang, Arunachalam Sagadevan, Peng Yuan, Luis Gutierrez-Arzaluz, Atanu Ghosh, Saidkhodzha Nematulloev, Badriah Alamer, Omar F. Mohammed, Irshad Hussain, Magnus Rueping, Osman M. Bakr
Summary: In this study, a synthesis method for obtaining an atomically precise nanoparticle with a surface-defective analogue is reported. The loss of a single surface atom drastically alters the reactivity of the nanoparticle, showing promising activity for click chemistry, especially photoinduced azide-alkyne cycloaddition. This study not only uncovers the effect of single-surface atom modification on nanoparticle properties but also demonstrates the potential of single-atom surface modification as a means for designing nanoparticle catalysts.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Liberato Manna
Summary: The 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Alexei Ekimov, Louis Brus, and Moungi Bawendi for their discovery and development of quantum dots. This field has been an exciting area of research for the past 40 years, captivating scientists with its vibrant colors and intriguing properties.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shuo Li, Lin Li, Hanyu Tu, Hao Zhang, Debbie S. Silvester, Craig E. Banks, Guoqiang Zou, Hongshuai Hou, Xiaobo Ji
Summary: The advancement in materials chemistry has significantly changed human lifestyle. Carbon dots, with their fascinating physicochemical properties, have been regarded as a groundbreaking carbon-based nanomaterial. However, the field of carbon dot-based materials chemistry remains incomplete due to their wide structural diversity, requiring further exploration. The review proposes novel viewpoints in this field and offers promising prospects for future developments.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jonas Becker, Roberto Terracciano, Gokhan Yilmaz, Richard Napier, C. Remzi Becer
Summary: Glycopolymers have potential for biomedical applications by exploiting interactions between carbohydrates and lectins. They can be used for targeted drug delivery to specific cells through their specific recognition capabilities. However, a challenge in glycopolymers research is the specificity of recognition to receptors binding to the same sugar unit. In this study, a method for producing glycopolymers with a defined tacticity based on click chemistry was presented.