Vault protein-templated assemblies of nanoparticles

Recombinant vault nanoparticles are used as stable nanoscale platforms for controlled self-assembly of various kinds of nanoparticles into the predefined multidimensional architectures. High-yield and uniform discoidal assemblies templated by vaults are constructed from gold nanospheres and quantum dots, while dimeric assemblies are formed from relatively-large gold nanocubes. The vault-templated approach appears to be mainly mediated by the surface and dimensional properties of nanoparticles while less affected by the chemical composition of nanoparticles, making it a universal strategy for fabrication of nanoassemblies with designed properties for potential applications.