Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research (IC&SR) , IIT Madras
Synthesis of Protein Protected Luminescent Metal Clusters and Retaining the Bioactivity of the Protein
Technology Category/Market
Technology: Internalization of silver cluster by proteins and luminescent retaining bioactivity
Category: Chemistry & Chemical analysis
Industry: Chemical/Pharmaceutical
Application: Biomedical
Market: The global market size was valued at USD 1.55 trillion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.96% from 2024 to 2030.
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Problem Statement
- Protein-protected noble metal nanoclusters (NCs) are a new class of biohybrid materials due to their intense luminescence, high quantum yield, stability, and biocompatibility.
- NCs have potential applications in sensing, biology, and multimodal imaging.
- Protein-directed cluster synthesis has been explored for therapeutic applications, targeted biolabeling, and protein-protected clusters.
- Large proteins with high molecular weight, small proteins with low molecular weight, and gold are commonly used.
- Bioactivity loss due to irreversible conformational changes limits their widespread use in biomedical research.
- A new class of atomically precise silver nanoclusters co-protected by hydride and phosphines as ligands has been reported
Technology
- A method of synthesizing protein protected luminescent metal clusters, the said method comprises;
- a preformed ligand protected atomically precise metal cluster as a precursor;
- a protein, mixed with the metal cluster precursor
- at pH 7.1 under continuous magnetic stirring for 12h at room temperature;
- wherein the reaction mixture gradually change the color during the course of reaction,accompanied by the evolution of red luminescence of the solution upon continuous stirring,
- which leads to the formation of red luminescent metal cluster indicating that the cluster core is incorporated in a single protein moiety without altering the secondary structure of the protein and its bioactivity
Key Features/Value Proposition
“Stable Ph Method”
- Ph Range: 2-12
Atomically Precise Metal Cluster:
- Triphenylphosphine (Tpp) Protected Ag18h16(tpp)2+ Silver Cluster.
Proteins:
- Bovine Serum Albumin (Bsa), Human Serum Albumin (Hsa), Lactoferrin (Lf).
Formed Luminescent Metal Cluster:
- Ag18@bsa And Ag18@hsa.
Lactoferrin Stabilizes Smaller Cluster:
- Ag13@lf.
Metal Cluster Disintegration
- Phosphine Protection.
- Slow Disintegration.
Stable For Months
- When Stored At Room Temperature.
Enhanced Bioactivity.
- Metal Encapsulated Protein Exhibits
Excellent Luminescent Probe
- For Cancer Cell Imaging.
Questions about this Technology?
Contact for Licensing
Research Lab
Prof. Pradeep T
Department of Chemistry
Intellectual Property
- IITM IDF Ref. 1779
- Patent No: IN 495343
Technology Readiness Level
TRL-4
Experimentally validated in Lab;