Intercalation of bovine serum albumin coated gold clusters between phospholipid bilayers: Temperature-dependent behavior of lipid-AuQC@BSA assemblies with red emission and superlattice structure

A method has been developed to encapsulate bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated gold quantum clusters (AuQC@BSA) in a multilamellar system of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC). Results have shown that intercalation of AuQC@BSA particles into lipid bilayers occurs in the presence of CaCl2. Intense red photoluminescence emission was observed after encapsulation of the clusters. A well-defined structure was found with periodic distances drastically larger than that in the pure DPPC/water system. Although Ca2+ ions can change the dipole characteristics of the lipid bilayer surface, leading to unbinding between the bilayers of multilamellar DPPC/water system, the repulsion is shielded in the presence of AuQC@BSA particles. A coherent superlattice structure evolves due to mixed Ca2+-DPPC and Ca2+-AuQC@BSA interactions. Studies at different temperatures have suggested a correlation between the luminescence properties of the clusters and phase transition of the lipid layers. The temperature-dependent behavior assumes the connection between the coating and the lipid bilayer surface. Temperature-dependent features of lipid intercalated Au clusters provide new opportunities in their application.