Biolabeling and Binding Evaluation of Amphiphilic Nanocrystallopolymers

Surfactant-like inorganic-organic hybrid molecules named as nanocrystallopolymers were designed by conjugation of the hydrophilic synthetic poly(amino acid), poly- α , β -(N-(2-hydroxyethyl)l-aspartamide), with hydrophobic inorganic nanoparticles. In aqueous media, amphiphilic nanocrystallopolymers form self-aggregates with unique morphologies. Here, a simple biolabeling method of nanocrystallopolymers was developed. Biotin was selected as a model biomolecule. The specific binding of biotin-labeled nanocrystallopolymers to the targeted surface was evaluated with a surface plasmon resonance sensor.