Nanoproteomics: The Convergence of Protein Science and Nanotechnology with Important Applications for Bio-Element Metal and etal Oxide Nanoparticles

Today nanomaterials from virtually every element in the periodic table have been synthesized. The impact of these nanomaterials on biological macromolecules is perhaps one of the most important questions in modern cell and molecular biology. In particular, protein enzymes control much of life at the subcellular level. Thus enzymes are increasingly being used in combination with nanomaterials for diagnostics and therapeutics applications. Ironically, much initial work has focused on gold, silver, cadmium, titanium, tungsten, etc. instead of metals which are known to associate with proteins in cells and tissues, such as iron, zinc, copper, nickel and others. This review focuses on the effects of these bio-relevant metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (MONPs), their characterization and effects on proteins and enzymes.