Synthesis of Ribonuclease-A conjugated Ag2S quantum dots clusters via biomimetic route

Highly monodisperse and water-soluble Ribonuclease-A (RNase A) copped-Ag2S quantum dots (QDs) clusters were synthesized in aqueous phase via biomimetic route. The final products were characterized by UV–vis absorption, photoluminescence (PL) spectra, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Our results revealed that RNase A-Ag2S QDs clusters owned a good photoluminescence property. In addition, RNase A-Ag2S QDs exhibited a good biocompatibility by tetrazolium based colorimetric assay (MTT test). In this work, RNase A not only serves as a stabilizer agent in the formation of Ag2S QDs to avoid aggregation, but also is a biomolecule to modify the surface of Ag2S QDs to decrease toxicity. These prepared RNase A-Ag2S QDs clusters have great potential applications in molecular imaging in living cells and tissues.

► RNase A-Ag2S QDs clusters were synthesized via biomimetic route.
► RNase A-Ag2S QDs clusters have good photoluminescence and biocompatibility.
► RNase A-Ag2S QDs clusters have great potential application in molecular imaging.