Patent ID: 8378075

Claim:
A method for covalent attachment of peptides to quantum dots or nanoparticles comprising the steps of: functionalizing at least a portion of a surface of the quantum dot or nanoparticle with one or more materials having at least one reactive functional group therein; and reacting a peptide having a reactive functional group with at least some of the quantum dot or nanoparticle reactive functional groups to covalently bond at least some of the peptide to the quantum dots or nanoparticles so that peptides are directly synthesized on the quantum dot or nanoparticle surface by (I) stepwise solid-state synthesis methods, (II) stepwise fragment coupling of side chain protected peptides or (III) stepwise assembly of side chain unprotected peptides using chemical ligation methods, wherein (A) the material used to functionalize the surface of the quantum dot or nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of DHLA, DHLA-polyethylene glycol analogs, ligands including at least one of mono- and multivalent thiols, phosphines, amphiphilic polymers, and dendrimers which interact with the quantum dot or nanoparticle surface; or (B) the quantum dot or nanoparticle reactive functional groups comprise carboxyl groups and the peptide reactive functional groups comprise amino groups.