Phase‐Transition Nanowires: Protein Recognition by Phase Transition of Aptamer‐Linked Polythiophene Single Nanowire (Small 9/2016)

Direct identification of proteins, important but non-amplifiable biomolecules, is critical in advancing modern biomedicine technologies. J. Joo, D. J. Ahn, and co-workers explore the phase-transition phenomenon of conjugated polymer nanowires in response to the presence of protein particles on page 1154. Even a single polythiophene nanowire having capture aptamers functionalized on its surface responds to a specific interaction with target proteins. Such a unique phase-transition evokes enhancement of photoluminescence and generation of a local resonance Raman signal simultaneously, dramatically corresponding to protein concentration.