Gold NanoUrchins

Cytodiagnostics Gold NanoUrchins have unique optical properties compared to spherical gold nanoparticles of the same core diameter. The spiky uneven surface causes a red shift in the surface plasmon peak and a larger enhancement of the electromagnetic field at the tips of the Gold NanoUrchin spikes compared to that of a spherical particles. As an example, 100nm spherical gold nanoparticles have an SPR peak at 570nm while 100nm Gold NanoUrchins have a SPR peak at around 680nm.

Reactant Free Gold NanoUrchins are supplied in 0.1mM phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and are extensively purified to be 99% free of residual reactants from manufacturing. These particles have the same high protein binding efficiency as our standard gold nanoparticle preparations for use in applications such as conjugate development, lateral flow and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) with the added benefit of being reactant free for more sensitive applications such as cell work and nanotoxicology studies.

Our extensively purified endotoxin free gold nanourchins are ideal for sensitive applications requiring a minimal amount of contaminants, such as cellular toxicity studies, immunological studies, and aseptic assays. This product is well suited for conjugate development by passive adsorption of proteins and other ligands to the gold nanourchins surface. The resulting conjugate can then be used in downstream applications.

All of our batches go through stringent quality control prior to shipment to our customers using dynamic light scattering to guarantee size and monodispersity and lot specifications are supplied with each product. The endotoxin levels of all batches are validated by the Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) test and do not exceed 0.5EU/mL.

Custom Conjugation Services – Nanoparticles

Cytodiagnostics provides an array of options for customers to do their own conjugations. Our gold and silver nanoparticles, and gold nanourchins are optimally designed for efficient passive adsorption of a multitude of proteins, antibodies, thiolated oligos, and more. For covalent conjugates, Cytodiagnostics also provides ready-to-use kits: Gold Conjugation Kits, Silver Conjugation Kits, NanoUrchin Conjugation Kits.

Let Us Do It For You!

Cytodiagnostics custom conjugation services help design and produce your very own custom conjugate. This includes most ligands ranging from proteins to enzymes to oligonucleotides, and this service extends to all the nanoparticles in our expansive catalog. You as a customer tell us the parameters and end-goal you need met, and our team of experts will work out the rest for you.

Gold nanourchin protein conjugates are a great alternative to traditional gold protein conjugates if peak absorbance is desired in the 570nm-680nm range.
Cytodiagnostics unique gold nanourchin protein conjugates can be used for a variety of applications including use as secondary detection agents in immunoblotting, lateral flow/vertical flow devices, ELISA, light microscopy and electron microscopy.

If you are interested in having your own antibody, or other protein conjugated to our gold nanourchins as a custom service please contact us.

Browse Our Available Gold NanoUrchin Conjugates

Cytodiagnostics NHS-activated Gold NanoUrchin Conjugation Kits have been optimized for high efficiency one-step conjugation of proteins and other primary amine-containing ligands to gold nanoparticles.

The kits contains ready-to-use pre-made mixtures. No activation or manipulation of the gold nanourchins is required prior to conjugation, which often results in poor performing conjugates. Simply mix your protein with the pre-activated NHS ester gold nanourchins supplied in the kit to generate your conjugate.

The precisely engineered gold surface coat on our NHS ester-activated gold nanourchins results in high conjugation efficiency and stable conjugates while minimizing non-specific binding in your assay.

For quality control of antibody and antigen conjugation our Conjugation QC Lateral Flow Dipstick Kit can be used.

Features & Benefits of NHS-Activated Gold NanoUrchins

• Results in covalently bound ligand and more stable conjugate.
• Fast and convenient one-step conjugation reaction with no pre-activation requirements.
• Spacer between the gold nanourchin surface and conjugated ligand minimizes effects on the tertiary protein structure, which can lead to poor performing conjugates, a common problem seen in conjugates prepared by passive adsorption.
• Precisely engineering surface coating that reduces non-specific protein binding in biological assays.

Cytodiagnostics Maleimide-activated Gold NanoUrchin Conjugation Kits have been optimized for high efficiency one-step conjugation of proteins and other thiol-containing ligands to gold nanoparticles.

The kits contains ready-to-use pre-made mixtures. No activation or manipulation of the gold nanourchins is required prior to conjugation, which often results in poor performing conjugates. Simply mix your protein with the pre-activated maleimide gold nanourchins supplied in the kit to generate your conjugate.

The precisely engineered gold surface coat on our maleimide-activated gold nanourchins results in high conjugation efficiency and stable conjugates while minimizing non-specific binding in your assay.

Features & Benefits of Maleimide-Activated Gold NanoUrchins

• Results in covalently bound ligand and more stable conjugate.
• Fast and convenient one-step conjugation reaction with no pre-activation requirements.
• Spacer between the gold nanourchin surface and conjugated ligand minimizes effects on the tertiary protein structure, which can lead to poor performing conjugates, a common problem seen in conjugates prepared by passive adsorption.
• Precisely engineering surface coating that reduces non-specific protein binding in biological assays.

Cytodiagnostics biotin functionalized gold nanourchins are available with diameters in the range of 50nm – 100nm and have their surface plasmon resonance absorption and scattering characteristics in the 580-680nm range. These particles have a precisely engineered surface for optimal streptavidin binding while minimizing non-specific binding to other proteins present in your sample.

The gold nanourchin label allows for convenient binding and detection of streptavidin in applications such as Lateral Flow, TEM, ELISA and Immuno dot-blots among others.

Carboxyl functionalized gold nanourchins are ideal for conjugation of proteins and other primary amine containing ligands using standard EDC/NHS coupling chemistry.

Our carboxylated gold nanourchins are available in 6 different sizes ranging from 50-100nm and have uniform size distribution (CV <15%).

Features

• Precisely engineered surface with an optimized carboxyl group density for easy conjugation.
• Available with SPR absorption maximum in the 600nm range.
• Enhanced LSPR properties compared to spherical gold nanoparticles.

Applications

Ideal for development of gold nanourchin conjugates for use in for example:

• Immunoblotting
• Lateral Flow Assays
• LSPR Assays
• Microscopy Applications (e.g. TEM)

Cytodiagnostics unique OligoREADY™ gold NanoUrchin conjugation kits have been optimized for high efficiency one-step conjugation of thiolated oligonucleotides directly to the gold surface of NanoUrchins with diameters of 50nm to 100nm.

The kit contains ready-to-use pre-made mixtures. No activation, manipulation, or time consuming “salt-aging” steps are require for conjugation. Simply mix your reduced thiol-modified oligonucleotide with the pre-activated gold NanoUrchins supplied with the kit. Conjugation of the oligonucleotide is achieved by the formation of a strong and stable gold-thiol bond without any additional linkers.

Features & Benefits

• Allows conjugation of oligonucleotides to gold NanoUrchins with sizes between 50nm-100nm.
• Fast and convenient one-step conjugation reaction with no pre-activation requirements or manipulation of the gold NanoUrchins.
• Does not require time-consuming “salt-aging” procedures.
• Results in a thiol-oligo conjugated directly to the gold surface without any linkers.

Working with oligonucleotides? Check out our AptamerREADY™ gold NanoUrchin kits for easy and improved conjugation!

Cytodiagnostics unique AptamerREADY™ gold NanoUrchin conjugation kits have been optimized for high efficiency one-step conjugation of thiolated aptamers directly to the gold NanoUrchin surface of particles with diameters of 50nm to 100nm.

The kit contains ready-to-use pre-made mixtures. No activation, manipulation, or time consuming “salt-aging” steps are require for conjugation. Simply mix your reduced thiol-modified aptamer with the pre-activated gold NanoUrchins supplied with the kit. Conjugation of the aptamer is achieved by the formation of a strong and stable gold-thiol bond without any additional linkers.

Features & Benefits

• Allows conjugation of aptamers to gold NanoUrchins with sizes between 50nm-100nm.
• Fast and convenient one-step conjugation reaction with no pre-activation requirements or manipulation of the gold NanoUrchins.
• Does not require time-consuming “salt-aging” procedures.
• Results in a thiol-aptamer conjugated directly to the gold NanoUrchin surface without any linkers.

Working with oligonucleotides? Check out our OligoREADY™ gold NanoUrchin kits for easy and improved conjugation!

Cytodiagnostics methoxy gold nanourchins have precisely engineered surface chemistry that renders them inert in most applications. This inert property allows these nanoparticles to be used as excellent control samples when in combination with one of our many other functionalized nanourchins. In applications where the nanourchins are not being used as controls, the surface chemistry enables them to be used in solutions with much higher salt concentrations relative to the corresponding standard nanourchins.
Cytodiagnostics methoxy gold nanourchins are available with diameters ranging from 50nm – 100nm and are also available with 2 different spacer lengths (2 kDa and 5 kDa), allowing for better optimization.