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With the attachment of Aβ1-40 onto the gold nano-colloidal particles surface, the SPR band around the 530 nm absorption maximum significantly red-shifted to ~650 nm peak position when the solution was made more acidic (pH 4)35. Together with TEM images, we identified that spectroscopic features observed at pH 4 correspond to the formation of the gold colloid aggregates with plausibly unfolded conformation and networking with the surrounding unfolded Aβ1-40 monomers adsorbed over the gold surface30. We observed that the Aβ1-40 monomers reverse back to the folded conformation under basic (pH 10) conditions, resulting in a deformation of the aggregates in a quasi-reversible manner. This quasi-reversible process was evident from the alternation of the average band peak (
(n)), which shifted between a shorter and longer wavelength, and the dispersed vs. aggregate morphology in TEM images between basic (pH = 10) and acidic (pH = 4) conditions. It has been previously observed that a portion of the Aβ1-40 monomer remains unfolded even after the solution was reverted to basic conditions36. Video 1 shows the pH dependent color change of Aβ1-40 and 20 nm bare gold colloid.
As a comparison, the pH hop investigation of 20 nm bare gold colloid was conducted (Figure 5C and D). As the pH change operation proceeded, it showed the growth of the clusterization of the gold colloids in SPR band shoft, TEM images as well as white-light images. Quite interestingly, there were several SERS spectral lines depending on either nodd and neven. For example, at neven (pH ~4), the line at 275 cm-1, which was assigned as the mode associated with Aun (n = 5, 6, 12, 16, 20, 58)37 or mode of Au-Cl- ligand38 was intensively observed. On the other hand, for neven, at 1008 cm-1 C-N str was observed39 and CH2 wag39, CH2 deformation40 were extensively observed at 1291 cm-1.
In contrast to the clear pH-dependent and reversible aggregation morphology observed by white light imaging, there were relatively subtle differences in the spectral features in the SERS spectrum between nodd and neven. As a first approximation, the spectral line density in the region between 250 cm-1 and 1750 cm-1 was higher for nodd than neven. The spectral lines in the fingerprint region, 1250 cm-1 and 1750 cm-1 (Amide I, II, and III bands) for nodd showed less resolved spectral features, implying either a broadening or increase in spectral densities. In Figure 6, a contour map given in Figure 5B (Figure 6B) was organized with the SERS signals at 761 cm-1 (red) and 1395 cm-1 (blue), representing the emphases at nodd and neven, respectively (Figure 6C). As a representative SERS spectrum for nodd and neven, the SERS spectrum at n = 7 (red) and n = 4 (blue) are shown on the top (Figure 6A). In order to show the correspondence to the SPR band shift for Aβ1-40 coated 20 nm gold, the band shift plot in Figure 3 is shown on the side (Figure 6D).
While we have preliminary data on the full assignment of the observed SERS spectrum, we note several notable Raman shift features here. The spectral lines and (plausible assignments) enhanced in nodd are mainly in the region lower than 1000 cm-1: 394 cm-1 (Trp)41,42,43, 761 cm-1 (His, Ala)39,44,45,46,47, 875 cm-1 (indole NH displacement, C-C stretching of Met)39, 974 cm-1 (Glu, C-COO- stretching of Asp, mode associated with citrate)39,48,49. The Raman shift enhanced at neven showed significant spectroscopic features in the fingerprint region (Amide I, II, and III): 1166 cm-1 (N-H+ deformation of Tyr)39,41, 1227 cm-1 (Ala-Pro-Gly, Amide III)39,50,51, 1395 cm-1 (COO- symmetric stretching or CH2- CH3- scissoring of Glu)39,48, 1585 cm-1 (ring CC stretching of Phe, asymmetric stretching of carboxylate -Au, COO- stretching of citrate, deformation of benzene ring)39,41,45,46,47,49,52, 1592 cm-1 (Phe, Tyr, C=C stretching of Tyr, CC stretching of ring in Phe, benzene ring stretching and COO- stretching in Phe and Tyr, and asymmetric stretching of OH)39,41,48,50,51, and 1628 cm-1 (Amide I sub peak distinctive for intermolecular β-sheet structures53, C=O and the coupled CN/NH vibrational modes of the protein backbone originating from parallel β-sheet type structures, accumulation of aggregated Aβ54, random coils, β-turns, β-hairpins48. The sequences appearing for nodd or neven are shown in Figure 7. Overall, for neven corresponding to the reversible aggregation or unfolded conformation of Aβ1-40, Phe/Tyr containing benzene ring, symmetric stretching of COO-, CH2- CH3- scissoring mode of Glu, and -NH+ deformation of Tyr were significantly involved in the conformational change of the peptide. During disassembly of the aggregation that was observed when peptides adopted the folded conformation corresponding to the modes prominent at nodd, Glu, Asp, Met, His and Ala appeared to be involved.

Figure 1: The pH-dependent absorbance and morphology. The absorption spectrum at pH 4 (A) and pH 10 (B) for Aβ1-40 coated gold nanoparticles (20 nm), and the corresponding TEM images, sketches of aggregation/dispersed particles, and pictures of solutions in vials are shown. A is the unfolded conformation of Aβ1-40 monomers under acidic conditions, and B is the folded conformation under basic conditions. Diagrams of Aβ1-40 monomers in each conformation and aggregation/disperse morphologies are shown next to the TEM images. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.

Figure 2: Nano-size dependent self-assembly reversibility. The shift of the average peak position of the SPR band,
, as a function of operation number, n, for all tested sizes of gold colloid particles. The approximate pH values and the corresponding stage of the aggregates shown in Figure 1 are given as well. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.

Figure 3:
and TEM/white-light images at each operation number. The
as a function of operation number, n, was plotted together for Aβ1-40 coated 20 nm gold (closed circles) and 20 nm gold colloid (open circles) and is shown with representative TEM (A and C)/white light images (B and D) at selected operation numbers (n = 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8 marked by de-coded arrows) for Aβ1-40 coated 20 nm gold (A and B) and 20 nm gold colloid (C and D). Black font indicates pH 7, blue font indicates pH 4, and red font indicates pH 10. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.

Figure 4: Representative white light and Raman image. The white light image, Raman image, and SERS spectrum for (A) n = 2 and (B) n = 3; i) white light image in a wide field of view, ii) white light image in the area where Raman image was collected (labeled by a red square in i)), iii) the Raman image of two components combined, iv) Raman image of component 1 and its v) SERS spectrum of iv), vi) Raman image of component 2, and vii) SERS spectrum of vi). Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.

Figure 5: Contour map of SERS Spectrum for nodd, neven, and nall. (A) The three-dimensional map of the SERS spectrum in the region of 250 cm-1 and 1750 cm-1 as a function of n for Aβ1-40 coated 20 nm gold with a contour map shown in (B) on the top. (C) The three-dimensional map of the SERS spectrum in the region of 250 cm-1 and 1750 cm-1 as a function of n for 20 nm gold with a contour map shown in (D) on the top. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.

Figure 6: Contour map of SERS Spectrum. The contour map of the SERS spectrum as a function of n (1-10). (A) Absorbance at 1395 cm-1 (blue) and 761 cm-1 (red). (B-D) The bottom panel shows the SERS spectrum and the right panel shows the amplitude of signal intensity change of SERS signals at each n. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.

Figure 7: Notable Sequences of Aβ1-40. The sequences assigned to have significant involvement at nodd (corresponding to the formation of folded conformation) are indicated by downward red arrows, and those assigned to have significant involvement at neven (corresponding to the formation of unfolded conformation) are indicated by blue arrows. Please click here to view a larger version of this figure.
Video 1: pH dependent color change of Aβ1-40 and 20 nm bare gold colloid. Please click here to download this Video.