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Tuesday, 1st May 2007 (5342 views)

Scientists at the University of Massachusetts have developed a molecular 'nose' which uses gold nanoparticles to 'sniff out' proteins.

The research, which appears in the May issues of the Nature Nanotechnology journal, details how the team use a detection method to allow gold nanoparticles to act as sensors to identify types of proteins.

Led by the university's Professor Vincent Rotello and Uwe Bunz of the Georgia Institute of Technology, the team used the distinctive shape of individual proteins and the malleability of gold to help create the sensors.

Using a molecular 'nose' made from the nanoparticles and a fluorescent dye, the sensors reacted with certain proteins' size, shape or electrical output, allowing various sensors to release their dye and glow.

Scientists could then map out the glowing pattern to give a unique fingerprint for each protein, allowing them to be detected in future.

This system could then be used to detect malformed proteins produced by cancer cells.

"The goal is to make a sensor that works like the cancer-sniffing dogs we have been hearing about in the news," says Professor Rotello.

 

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