There is great interest in attaching biomolecules to a variety of other molecules and supports, including small molecules, other biomolecules, solid-supports and nanoparticles. In doing so, researchers are attempting to improve/alter biomolecule properties, recover and more easily study biomolecules in vitro and in vivo, develop biotechnological devices, and advance our understanding of biomolecule function. This thesis outlines three examples of biomolecule conjugation. First, mRNA-protein fusions were designed for the in vitro selection of biotin ligase substrate sequences, using combinatorial techniques and molecular biology. Additionally, various proteins were conjugated to the surface of polymer-encapsulated magnetic nanoparticles, which resulted in biocompaticle, recyclable biocatalysts. Finally, Au-DNA conjugates were studied in detail under biologically relevant conditions, and shown to be highly susceptible to DNA degradation at temperatures required for biological applications. Individually, the projects discussed herein address three separate niches for bioconjugation, and collectively underlie the potential in this area.
