Protein‐Sized Bright Fluorogenic Nanoparticles Based on Cross‐Linked Calixarene Micelles with Cyanine Corona

• DOI: 10.1002/ange.201609138
• Publication Date: 2016-11-16T19:50:59Z
• Authors: Ievgen Shulov; Roman V. Rodik; Youri Arntz; Andreas Reisch; Vitaly I. Kalchenko; Andrey S. Klymchenko
• Keywords: Cyanine; Calixarene; Dispersity; Quantum yield; Nanocarriers; Biological Imaging

The key challenge in the field of fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs) for biological applications is to achieve superior brightness sizes equivalent single proteins (3–7 nm). We propose a concept shell-cross-linked micelles, which PEGylated cyanine 3 and 5 bis-azides form covalently attached corona on micelles amphiphilic calixarene bearing four alkyne groups. fluorescence quantum yield obtained monodisperse NPs, with size 7 nm, function viscosity reached up 15 % glycerol. In on-state they are circa 2-fold brighter than dots (QD-585), makes them smallest organic NPs this high brightness. FRET between cross-linkers at surface suggests their integrity physiological media, solvents, living cells, rapidly internalize, showing excellent imaging contrast. Calixarene constitute new platform development protein-sized ultrabright NPs.