Interaction of gold nanoparticle with Human Serum Albumin (HSA) protein using surface energy transfer

Abstract

Here, we study the human serum albumin (HSA) protein–Au nanoparticle interaction to identify the specific binding site of protein with nanoparticles by using the surface energy transfer (SET) method among tryptophan (Trp) of HSA, ANS-dye-labeled HSA protein, and Au nanoparticles. Here, ANS dye is used as a probe located at domain IIIA of HSA. In particular, absorbance, fluorescence quenching, decay time, circular dichroism, dynamic light scattering, and TEM measurements are performed to understand the physical properties of protein-conjugated Au nanoparticles. Using the SET method, the measured distances between the Trp residue of HSA and the binding site of HSA interacting with Au nanoparticles are 42.5, 41.9, and 48.1 Å for 1.5, 2.0, and 2.9 nm HSA-conjugated Au nanoparticles, respectively. The measured distances between the binding site of ANS dye (located at domain IIIA) in HSA to the binding site of HSA interacting with Au nanoparticles are 51, 51.5, and 54.7 Å for 1.5, 2.0, and 2.9 nm HSA-conjugated Au nanoparticles, respectively. From the protein structural data (using PyMol software), the distances from the center of domain IIIA to Cys53–Cys62 disulfide bond and Trp to Cys53–Cys62 disulfide bond are obtained to be 51.5 and 39.1 Å, respectively. Thus, the distances calculated by using SET equation (Trp to Au binding site distance and ANS to Au binding site distance) nicely match with the distances obtained from protein structural data by using PyMol software. Analysis suggests that the Au nanoparticle is attached to HSA by linkage through Cys53–Cys62 disulfide bond which is located at subdomain IA of HSA.