SERS Investigation on Oligopeptides Used as Biomimetic Coatings for Medical Devices

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of three amphiphilic oligopeptides derived from EAK16 (AEAEAKAK)(2) were examined to study systematic amino acid substitution effects on the corresponding interaction with Ag colloidal nanoparticles. Such self-assembling molecular systems, known as “molecular Lego”, are of particular interest for their uses in tissue engineering and as biomimetic coatings for medical devices because they can form insoluble macroscopic membranes under physiological conditions. Spectra were collected for both native and gamma-irradiated samples. Quantum mechanical data on two of the examined oligopeptides were also obtained to clarify the assignment of the prominent significative bands observed in the spectra. In general, the peptide–nanoparticles interaction occurs through the COO(−) groups, with the amide bond and the aliphatic chain close to the colloid surface. After gamma irradiation, mimicking a free oxidative radical attack, the SERS spectra of the biomaterials show that COO(−) groups still provide the main peptide–nanoparticle interactions. However, the spatial arrangement of the peptides is different, exhibiting a systematic decrease in the distance between aliphatic chains and colloid nanoparticles.