Nanoscale Metal–Organic Framework–Hemoglobin Conjugates

Abstract

Abstract A metal–organic framework (MOF)–protein conjugate, NH 2 ‐MIL‐125(Ti)‐hemoglobin [MIL‐125(Ti)‐Hb], was synthesized by a covalent postmodification strategy. The crystalline structure was maintained after chemical and protein modification. The content of grafted Hb was tuned by the stoichiometric ratio and reached 50 wt % if the mass ratio of MIL‐125(Ti)/Hb was 1:1.25 in the feed. The oxygen‐transporting capacity of grafted Hb was kept, and the P 50 (the half O 2 pressure saturated with O 2 ) and Hill coefficients of the MIL‐125(Ti)‐Hb conjugate were found to be 22.9 mm Hg and 2.35, respectively, which are close to the respective values of free Hb. All the results indicate that the MIL‐125(Ti)‐Hb conjugate could be potentially used as an oxygen carrier.