Issue 6, 2024

Non-covalent adsorption of neurotransmission-relevant proteins on locally laser-oxidized and pristine graphene

Abstract

Femtosecond pulsed laser two-photon oxidation (2PO) was used to modulate protein adsorption on graphene surfaces on a Si/SiO2 substrate. The adsorption behavior of calmodulin (CaM) and a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAchR) fragment on pristine (Pr) and 2PO-treated graphene were studied, utilizing atomic force microscopy and infrared scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy for characterization. The results showed that proteins predominantly bound as a (sub-)monolayer, and selective adsorption could be achieved by carefully varying graphene oxidation level, pH during functionalization, and protein concentration. The most pronounced selectivity was observed at low 2PO levels, where predominantly only point-like oxidized defects are generated. Preferential binding on either Pr or oxidized graphene could be achieved depending on the 2PO and adsorption conditions used. Based on the incubation conditions, the surface area covered by mAchR on single-layer graphene varied from 29% (Pr) vs. 91% (2PO) to 48% (Pr) vs. 13% (2PO). For CaM, the coverage varied from 53% (Pr) vs. 95% (2PO) to 71% (Pr) vs. 52% (2PO). These results can be exploited in graphene biosensor applications via selective non-covalent functionalization of sensors with receptor proteins.

Graphical abstract: Non-covalent adsorption of neurotransmission-relevant proteins on locally laser-oxidized and pristine graphene

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
28 Mar 2024
Accepted
01 Aug 2024
First published
05 Aug 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024,1, 1305-1316

Non-covalent adsorption of neurotransmission-relevant proteins on locally laser-oxidized and pristine graphene

A. Lampinen, J. Schirmer, A. Emelianov, A. Johansson and M. Pettersson, RSC Appl. Interfaces, 2024, 1, 1305 DOI: 10.1039/D4LF00102H

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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