Femtosecond Laser Pulse Excitation of DNA-Labeled Gold Nanoparticles: Establishing a Quantitative Local Nanothermometer for Biological Applications
- 17 July 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Chemical Society (ACS) in ACS Nano
- Vol. 14 (7), 8570-8583
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.0c02899
Abstract
Femtosecond (fs) laser pulsed excitation of plasmonic nanoparticle (NP)–biomolecule conjugates is a promising method to locally heat biological materials. Studies have demonstrated that fs pulses of light can modulate the activity of DNA or proteins when attached to plasmonic NPs; however, the precision over subsequent biological function remains largely undetermined. Specifically, the temperature the localized biomolecules “experience” remains unknown. We used 55 nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) displaying double-stranded (ds) DNA to examine how, for dsDNA with different melting temperatures, the laser pulse energy fluence and bulk solution temperature affect the rate of local DNA denaturation. A universal “template” single-stranded DNA was attached to the AuNP surface, and three dye-labeled probe strands, distinct in length and melting temperature, were hybridized to it creating three individual dsDNA-AuNP bioconjugates. The dye-labeled probe strands were used to quantify the rate and amount of DNA release after a given number of light pulses, which was then correlated to the dsDNA denaturation temperature, resulting in a quantitative nanothermometer. The localized DNA denaturation rate could be modulated by more than threefold over the biologically relevant range of 8–53 °C by varying pulse energy fluence, DNA melting temperature, and surrounding bath temperature. With a modified dissociation equation tailored for this system, a “sensed” temperature parameter was extracted and compared to simulated AuNP temperature profiles. Determining actual biological responses in such systems can allow researchers to design precision nanoscale photothermal heating sources.Funding Information
- U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
- U.S. Navy
- Office of Naval Research
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