Conjugating molecules to particles
This invention resides in using metal complex-activated particles to bind molecules, polymers and other particles to each other, so as to produce multifunctional conjugates having controlled ratios of two or more different molecules.
1. A nanoparticle including:
a surface including ligands, wherein said ligands include an electron-donating group;
transition metal ions at least partially coating the surface; and
a first target molecule and a second target molecule, wherein the first and second target molecules are different to each other and are present on the nanoparticle in a predetermined ratio,
wherein the nanoparticle includes a substrate formed from one or more substrate molecules or atoms; and
wherein, through the transition metal ions, co-ordination bonds are formed between; (i) the ligands including the electron-donating group at the nanoparticle surface and the first target molecule; and (ii) the ligands including the electron-donating group at the nanoparticle surface and the second target molecule; thereby separately linking the first and second target molecules to the nanoparticle surface; and
the nanoparticle further including a ligand, wherein the ligand for the transition metal ions is selected from the group consisting of: ethylenediamine, tetramethylethylenediamine, iminodiacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, triphenylphosphine, oxalic acid, 1,10-phenanthroline, 8-hydroxyquinoline, salicylic acid, chloride, acetate, bromide, nitrate, perchlorate, alum, sulphate and pyridine.
2. The nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle has a diameter of about 5 to about 200 nm.
3. The nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the transition metal ion is selected from aluminum, rhodium, platinum, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, ruthenium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, molybdenum, zirconium and zinc.
4. The nanoparticle of claim 3 , wherein the transition metal ion is chromium.
5. The nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second target molecules is selected independently from a protein, a polynucleotide, a carbohydrate, a lipid, a drug, a labelling agent, a synthetic polymer and a nanoparticle.
6. A composition including:
a nanoparticle including a substrate formed from one or more substrate molecules or atoms, wherein the surface of the nanoparticle includes ligands which include an electron-donating group;
a ligand having a group for forming a co-ordination bond with a transition metal ion; and
a transition metal ion for forming a co-ordination bond with the one or more substrate molecules or atoms; a first target molecule and a second target molecule, wherein the first and second target molecules are different to each other;
wherein, through the transition metal ions, co-ordination bonds are formed between: (i) the ligands including the electron-donating group at the nanoparticle surface and the first target molecule; and (ii) the ligands including the electron-donating group at the nanoparticle surface and the second target molecule; thereby separately linking the first and second target molecules to the nanoparticle surface; wherein the first and second target molecules are present on the nanoparticle in a predetermined ratio; and
wherein the ligand for the transition metal ions is selected from the group consisting of: ethylenediamine, tetramethylethylenediamine, iminodiacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid, triphenylphosphine, oxalic acid, 1,10-phenanthroline, 8-hydroxyquinoline, salicylic acid, chloride, acetate, bromide, nitrate, perchlorate, alum, sulphate and pyridine.
7. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the particle has a diameter of about 5 to about 200 nm.
8. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the ligand is ethylenediamine.
9. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the transition metal ion is selected from aluminum, rhodium, platinum, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, ruthenium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, molybdenum, zirconium and zinc.
10. The composition of claim 9 , wherein the metal ion is chromium.
11. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the first and second target molecules are independently selected from a protein, a polynucleotide, a carbohydrate, a lipid, a drug, a labelling agent, a synthetic polymer and a nanoparticle.
12. The nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the substrate molecule is selected from a synthetic polymer, a metal or metalloid composite, a biological material, ceramic, glass and metal oxide.
13. The nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the substrate atom is selected from gold, silicon and carbon.