Highly selective fluorogenic multianalyte biosensors constructed via enzyme-catalyzed coupling and...

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Developing selective and rapid fluorogenic biosensors for diverse analytes is challenging.
• Existing methods often lack the required sensitivity or speed for real-time monitoring.
• There is a need for innovative biosensing platforms that integrate enzymatic activity with advanced fluorescent materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel fluorogenic biosensor strategy by combining enzymatic reactions with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorogens.
• To demonstrate the high sensitivity and selectivity of the proposed biosensor for detecting hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).
• To validate the versatility of this approach for detecting other analytes like glucose and antigens.

Main Methods:

• Integration of substrate-selective enzymatic reactions with AIE fluorogens.
• Utilizing tyrosine-functionalized tetraphenylethene (TPE-Tyr) that exhibits fluorescence turn-on upon enzymatic cross-linking.
• Employing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and H2O2 for TPE-Tyr cross-linking and fluorescence enhancement.
• Adapting the strategy for glucose detection via cascade enzymatic reactions and antigen detection using ELISA.

Main Results:

• TPE-Tyr showed negligible fluorescence in solution but strong emission upon HRP/H2O2-induced cross-linking.
• The biosensor achieved fast, sensitive, and selective detection of H2O2.
• The platform was successfully adapted for detecting glucose and human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).

Conclusions:

• The proposed strategy effectively integrates enzymatic reactions with AIE fluorogens for highly sensitive and selective biosensing.
• This novel approach offers a versatile platform for the rapid detection of various analytes, including small molecules and antigens.
• The developed fluorogenic biosensor holds significant potential for diverse diagnostic and monitoring applications.