Highly Sensitive and Rapid Fluorescence Detection with a Portable FRET Analyzer

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) sensors detect small molecules but suffer from weak signal intensity.
• High-end fluorometers are often required, limiting practical applications.
• FRET sensors utilizing bacterial periplasmic binding proteins show optimal ligand sensitivity between 50-55 °C.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a protocol for assessing sugar content in beverages using a portable FRET analyzer.
• To investigate the effect of temperature optimization on FRET sensor signal intensity.
• To demonstrate the application of a custom-built FRET system for beverage analysis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a cost-effective, high-performance FRET analyzer measuring emission ratios (530/480 nm).
• Employed a temperature-specific FRET sensor optimized for the 50-55 °C range.
• Applied a preheating step to the FRET sensor before analyzing commercial beverage samples.

Main Results:

• Preheating the FRET sensor significantly amplified the FRET ratio signal.
• The enhanced signal enabled more accurate measurement of sugar content.
• The custom FRET analyzer and sensor successfully quantified sugar in three commercial beverages.

Conclusions:

• A preheating protocol enhances FRET sensor sensitivity for sugar analysis in beverages.
• A portable FRET system can accurately quantify sugar content in commercial drinks.
• Future miniaturization could lead to hand-held analyzers for field use.