The outer surface of horse spleen apoferritin (HsAFr) was chemically modified by poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to prevent bulk precipitation during artificial biomineralization of the cobalt-oxide core (Co3O4) in its cavity. Two kinds of PEGs, with average molecular weights of 2000 and 5000 were covalently attached (PEGylation) on the outer surface of HsAFr and suppressed the bulk precipitation drastically, whereas neither free PEGs nor short PEG (N-{2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethanoyloxy}succinimide) performed such suppression. The PEGylated HsAFr accommodated fully developed Co3O4 cores and achieved a high yield of homogeneous Co3O4 nanoparticles. Investigation of the early biomineralization stage suggested that [CoIIIO] complex ions were accumulated around the negatively charged outer surface of HsAFr.
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Tsukamoto et al. (2008) studied this question.
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