Abstract: The invention relates to a ligand compound having a structure A-B-C, wherein (a) A represents a mono- or polyphosphorylated amino acid linked to part B by its amino group to form an amide bond; B represents (i) a carboxylic acid, and (ii) an amino acid or peptidyl group of 2-10 amino acids, an alkyl or alkenyl group comprising 1-26 carbon atoms, a polyethylene glycol group comprising 1-26 carbon atoms or a combination thereof covalently linked to the carboxylic acid; and C represents a hydrophilic group covalently linked to the group of B (ii) or (b) A represents a mono-or polyphosphorylated amino acid linked to B by its carboxylic acid to form an amide bond; B represents an amino acid or peptidyl group of 2-10 amino acids, an amino substituted alkyl or alkenyl group comprising 1-26 carbon atoms, an amino substituted polyethylene glycol group comprising 1-26 carbon atoms or a combination thereof covalently linked to A by their amino group; C represents a hydrophilic group covalently linked to the group of B.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method to encapsulate nanoparticles into a protein cage by inserting the nanoparticles into the core through holes. Currently commercially available nanoparticles can be functionalized using the inventive method. The inventive hybrids have applications in biosensing and bioimaging. The use of an affinity between poly-histidine chains and nitrilotriacetic acid as chelating reagent to obtain the inventive cages and hybrid assemblies by the method according to the invention is shown in FIG. 1.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method to encapsulate nanoparticles into a protein cage by inserting the nanoparticles into the core through holes. Currently commercially available nanoparticles can be functionalized using the inventive method. The inventive hybrids have applications in biosensing and bioimaging. The use of an affinity between poly-histidine chains and nitrilotriacetic acid as chelating reagent to obtain the inventive cages and hybrid assemblies by the method according to the invention is shown in FIG. 1.

Abstract: The invention relates to a protein cross-linking agent of the formula, where R1 is an aryl group optionally substituted once or several times by a grouping selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, C1-C4 alkyl, OBoc, SO3Na, Deu, and C1-C4 alkoxy groupings, R2 is N, (III), or (IV), n and in are identical or different integers between 0 and 10, p is an integer between 0 and 5, k is 0, 1, 2 or 3, and X and X? are identical or different and are a reactive function of the proteins. The invention also relates to a method for the structural analysis of a protein or a protein complex.