Quantum defect sensitization via phase-changing supercharged antibody fragments Journal Article


Authors: Kim, M.; McCann, J. J.; Fortner, J.; Randall, E.; Chen, C.; Chen, Y.; Yaari, Z.; Wang, Y. H.; Koder, R. L.; Heller, D. A.
Article Title: Quantum defect sensitization via phase-changing supercharged antibody fragments
Abstract: Quantum defects in single-walled carbon nanotubes promote exciton localization, which enables potential applications in biodevices and quantum light sources. However, the effects of local electric fields on the emissive energy states of quantum defects and how they can be controlled are unexplored. Here, we investigate quantum defect sensitization by engineering an intrinsically disordered protein to undergo a phase change at a quantum defect site. We designed a supercharged single-chain antibody fragment (scFv) to enable a full ligand-induced folding transition from an intrinsically disordered state to a compact folded state in the presence of a cytokine. The supercharged scFv was conjugated to a quantum defect to induce a substantial local electric change upon ligand binding. Employing the detection of a proinflammatory biomarker, interleukin-6, as a representative model system, supercharged scFv-coupled quantum defects exhibited robust fluorescence wavelength shifts concomitant with the protein folding transition. Quantum chemical simulations suggest that the quantum defects amplify the optical response to the localization of charges produced upon the antigen-induced folding of the proteins, which is difficult to achieve in unmodified nanotubes. These findings portend new approaches to modulate quantum defect emission for biomarker sensing and protein biophysics and to engineer proteins to modulate binding signal transduction.
Keywords: carbon; photoluminescence; scfv
Journal Title: Journal of the American Chemical Society
Volume: 146
Issue: 18
ISSN: 0002-7863
Publisher: American Chemical Society  
Date Published: 2024-05-08
Start Page: 12454
End Page: 12462
Language: English
ACCESSION: WOS:001228435900001
DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c00149
PROVIDER: wos
PUBMED: 38687180
PMCID: PMC11498269
Notes: The MSK Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA008748) is acknowledged in the PDF -- Corresponding authors is MSK author: Daniel A. Heller -- Source: Wos
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MSK Authors
  1. Daniel Alan Heller
    112 Heller
  2. Zvi Aharon Yaari
    11 Yaari
  3. Chen Chen
    8 Chen
  4. Mijin Kim
    12 Kim