Transmission electron microscopy and time resolved optical spectroscopy study of the electronic and structural interactions of ZnO nanorods with bovine serum albumin.

The adsorption behavior and electronic interactions of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with ZnO nanorod surfaces were investigated using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy as well as stationary and time-resolved optical spectroscopy techniques. Transmission electron microscopy shows that ZnO nanorod surfaces are surrounded by a homogeneous amorphous BSA film with thicknesses between ~2.5 and 5.0 nm. The electronic structure and adsorption geometry of BSA were examined using high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with electron energy loss spectroscopy. The adsorption process was observed to result into an unfolded conformation of BSA becoming predominantly bound in the side-on orientation at the ZnO surface. This adsorption mode of the BSA molecules allows for a strong interaction with surface states of the ZnO nanorods. This is obvious from its efficient quenching of the defect-center photoluminescence of ZnO. Complementary information of electronic interactions across the ZnO nanorod interface was obtained from femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy experiments. The rise dynamics of the measured transients revealed altered hole trapping dynamics and, thus, indicated to heterogeneous charge transfer as emerging from adsorbed BSA molecules to defect centers of the ZnO interface.

Functionalized silicon quantum dots tailored for targeted siRNA delivery.

For RNA interference (RNAi) mediated silencing of the ABCB1 gene in Caco-2 cells biocompatible luminescent silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) were developed to serve as self-tracking transfection tool for ABCB1 siRNA. While the 2-3nm sized SiQD core exhibits green luminescence, the QD surfaces are completely saturated with covalently linked 2-vinylpyridine that may electrostatically bind siRNA. For down-regulating P-glycoprotein (Pgp) expression of the ABCB1 gene the SiQDs were complexed with siRNA. The cellular uptake and allocation of SiQD-siRNA complexes in Caco-2 cells were monitored using confocal laser scanning microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The release of siRNA to the cytoplasm was verified through real-time PCR quantification of the reduced ABCB1 mRNA level. Additional evidence was obtained from time-resolved in situ fluorescence spectroscopic monitoring of the Pgp efflux dynamics in transfected Caco-2 cells which yielded significantly reduced transporter efficiencies for the Pgp substrate Rhodamine 123.