Protein immobilisation at gold-thiol surfaces and potential for biosensing

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) provide a convenient, flexible and simple system to tailor the interfacial properties of metals, metal oxides and semiconductors. Monomolecular films prepared by selfassembly are attractive for several exciting applications because of the unique possibility of making the selection of different types of terminal functional groups and as emerging tools for nanoscale observation of biological interactions. The tenability of SAMs as platforms for preparing biosurfaces is reviewed and critically discussed. The different immobilization approaches used for anchoring proteins to SAMs are considered as well as the nature of SAMs; particular emphasis is placed on the chemical specificity of protein attachment in view of preserving protein native structure necessary for its functionality. Regarding this aspect, particular attention is devoted to the relation between the immobilization process and the electrochemical response (i.e. electron transfer) of...