Interaction of plasma proteins with ZnSe and ZnSe@ZnS core-shell quantum dots

Publication date: 5 May 2017
Source:Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, Volume 520
Author(s): Irshad Ahmad Mir, Kamla Rawat, H.B. Bohidar
Herein, we report, interaction of water-soluble ZnSe core only (size=3.60±0.12nm, zeta potential=−45mV), and ZnSe@ZnS core-shell (size=4.80±0.20nm, zeta potential=–38mV) quantum dots (QDs) with three globular plasma proteins (Human Serum Albumin (HSA), Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and β-lactoglobulin (β-Lg)). It was found that QDs effectively quenched the fluorescence of proteins that was size-dependent. The nature of quenching was static which resulted from the generation of QDs-Protein complexes. It was found that the binding affinity followed: BSA>HSA>β-Lg for both ZnSe and ZnSe@ZnS samples. Interestingly, the secondary and tertiary structure of proteins remained unaffected after interactions.

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