Narrow Results

Global proteomics research is currently hampered by the extremely complexity of the proteome and the absence of techniques like the polymerase chain reaction in genomics which enables multiplication of a single protein molecule. Since all the existing analytical technologies cannot overcome the detection limit and the dynamic concentration barrier, development of improved analytical technologies at nanoscale, ideally those that could recognize single protein molecule in the presence of high abundant of others, is a high priority for proteomics. In this chapter, we will show the state-of-the-art of nanoproteomics, i.e., the application of nanotechnologies to proteomics. Various nanomaterials including carbon nanomaterials, magnetic nanoparticles, silica nanoparticles, polymer and copolymer nanoparticles, metal and metal oxide nanoparticles have been used to improve sensitivity, specificity, and repeatability of proteomic analysis especially when the multidimensional separation system coupled with MALDI-TOF-MS is used. Among them, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are the two most important nanomaterials: while GNPs are frequently utilized for enzyme immobilization, high throughput bioassay, selection of target-peptides and target-protein, CNTs including single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and mutiple-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have wide applications to electronic sensor, sensitive immunodetection, nanobiocatalysis, affinity probes, MALDI matrices, protein digestion, peptides enrichment and analysis. In perspectives, a deep understanding of the structures and property of nanomaterials and interdisciplinary applications of nanotechnology to proteomics will certainly be revolutionary and intellectually rewarding.