Glycosylated quantum dots for the selective labelling of Kluyveromyces bulgaricus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains.

Highly fluorescent CdTe quantum dots (QDs) stabilized by thioglycolic acid (TGA) were prepared by an aqueous solution approach and used as fluorescent labels in detecting yeast cells. Sugars (mannose, galactose or glucose) were adsorbed on CdTe@TGA QDs and the interaction of these nanoparticles with yeast cells was studied by fluorescence microscopy. Results obtained demonstrate that galactose and mannose functionalized QDs associate respectively with Kluyveromyces bulgaricus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains due to saccharide/lectin specific recognition. Glucose-functionalized CdTe QDs, which are not recognized by cell lectins, preferentially localize in the bud scars of S. cerevisiae.