Abstract: Disclosed herein are asymmetrically functionalized nanoparticles. Further disclosed herein are methods of preparing asymmetrically functionalized nanoparticles. Asymmetrically functionalized nanoparticles can be used in various therapeutic methods.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for screening a compound for its effect on endonuclease activity. The methods comprise providing a compound to be screened utilizing a gold nanoparticle aggregate as the substrate for the endonuclease. The gold nanoparticle aggregate is formed by the hybridization of oligonucleotides attached to the nanoparticles, with or without the presence of a third linker oligonucleotide. The hybridized oligonucleotide duplex serves as a substrate for the endonuclease. A detectable change is brought about in the presence of the endonuclease activity. A decrease in the detectable change reflects the reduced levels of endonuclease activities as a result of the effects of endonuclease inhibitors. The present invention also provides kits for screening an endonuclease inhibitor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is energy transfer on multisegmented nanowires via surface plasmon resonance excitation of visible light, such as solar energy, absorbed by metals sensitive to visible light and transferred to metals insensitive to visible light. The nanowires are prepared with controllable gap sizes between different segments by on-wire lithography (OWL).