| Autor: |
Orlanducci S; Department of Chemical Science and Technology, University of Rome ''Tor Vergata'', 00133 Rome, Italy.; Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council of Italy, 00015 Monterotondo Stazione, Italy., Fulgenzi G; Department of Molecular and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Marche Polytechnic University, 60126 Ancona, Italy.; Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA., Margonelli A; Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council of Italy, 00015 Monterotondo Stazione, Italy., Rea G; Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council of Italy, 00015 Monterotondo Stazione, Italy., Antal TK; Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119992 Moscow, Russian.; Laboratory of Integrated Environmental Research, Pskov State University, 180000 Pskov, Russian., Lambreva MD; Institute of Crystallography, National Research Council of Italy, 00015 Monterotondo Stazione, Italy. |
| Abstrakt: |
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are among the most exploited carbon allotropes in the emerging technologies of molecular sensing and bioengineering. However, the advancement of algal nanobiotechnology and nanobionics is hindered by the lack of methods for the straightforward visualization of the CNTs inside the cell. Herein, we present a handy and label-free experimental strategy based on visible Raman microscopy to assess the internalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) using the model photosynthetic alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as a recipient. The relationship between the properties of SWCNTs and their biological behavior was demonstrated, along with the occurrence of excitation energy transfer from the excited chlorophyll molecules to the SWCNTs. The non-radiative deactivation of the chlorophyll excitation promoted by the SWCNTs enables the recording of Raman signals originating from cellular compounds located near the nanotubes, such as carotenoids, polyphosphates, and starch. Furthermore, the outcome of this study unveils the possibility to exploit SWCNTs as spectroscopic probes in photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic systems where the fluorescence background hinders the acquisition of Raman scattering signals. |
