Nitrilotriacetic Acid-Modified Magnetic Nanoparticles as a General Agent to Bind Histidine-Tagged Proteins

Abstract

Using Nalpha,Nalpha-bis(carboxymethyl)lysine to react with FePt magnetic nanoparticles, we synthesized the FePt-NTA conjugate, which immobilizes Ni2+ ions and selectively binds to histidine-tagged proteins at concentration as low as 0.5 pM. This simple system serves as a useful alternative to existing protocols for protein separation and also acts as a versatile agent for transporting and anchoring proteins.