Assembly of Polypeptide-Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles through a Heteroassociation- and Folding-Dependent Bridging

Gold nanoparticles were functionalized with a synthetic polypeptide, de novo-designed to associate with a charge complementary linker polypeptide in a folding-dependent manner. A heterotrimeric complex that folds into two disulphide-linked four-helix bundles is formed when the linker polypeptide associates with two of the immobilized peptides. The heterotrimer forms in between separate particles and induces a rapid and extensive aggregation with a well-defined interparticle spacing. The aggregated particles are redispersed when the disulphide bridge in the linker polypeptide is reduced.