Influence of the Au Cluster Enhancer on Vibrational Spectra of Nucleotides in MD Simulation of a SERS Sensor

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanoprobes have shown tremendous potential in in vivo imaging. The development of single oligomer resolution in the SERS promotes experiments on DNA and protein identification using SERS as a nanobiosensor. As Raman scanners rely on a multiple spectrum acquisition, the faster imaging in real-time is required. SERS weak signal requires averaging of the acquired spectra that erases information on conformation and interaction. To build spectral libraries, the simulation of measurement conditions and conformational variations for the nucleotides relative to enhancer nanostructures would be desirable. In the molecular dynamic (MD) model of a sensing system, we simulate vibrational spectra of the cytosine nucleotide in FF2/FF3 potential in the dynamic interaction with the Au20 nanoparticles (NP) (EAM potential). Fourier transfer of the density of states (DOS) was performed to obtain the spectra of bonds in reaction coordinates for nucleotides at a resolution 20 to 40 cm−1. The Au20 was optimized by ab initio DFT GGA and relaxed by MD. The optimal localization of nucleotide vs. NP was defined and spectral modes of both components vs. interaction studied. Bond-dependent spectral maps of nucleotide and NP have shown response to interaction. The marker frequencies of the Au20—nucleotide interaction have been evaluated.