Silver Nanoclusters Beacon as Stimuli-Responsive Versatile Platform for Multiplex DNAs Detection and...

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Developing sensitive and selective biosensors is crucial for detecting various analytes.
• Existing methods often require complex procedures or lack versatility.
• Silver nanoclusters (Ag NCs) offer unique fluorescent properties for sensing applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize an activatable silver nanoclusters beacon (ASNCB) for versatile sensing.
• To demonstrate multiplexed detection of DNA, small molecules, and proteins.
• To establish a facile and integrated platform for fluorescence sensing.

Main Methods:

• One-pot synthesis of ASNCB using multifunctional DNA sequences.
• Target-induced conformational transition of ASNCB to activate fluorescence.
• Development of dual-color ASNCBs for multiplexed gene detection (H1N1, H5N1).
• Incorporation of aptamers for small molecule (ATP) and protein (thrombin) detection.

Main Results:

• Successful in situ synthesis of ASNCB.
• Demonstrated target-responsive fluorescence activation.
• Achieved parallel multiplexed detection of Influenza A virus genes.
• Realized sensitive detection of ATP and thrombin.
• Validated ASNCB in real samples and living cell imaging.

Conclusions:

• ASNCB provides a versatile and facile platform for multiplexed sensing of diverse analytes.
• The integrated probe and target recognition process is novel.
• ASNCB shows significant potential for fluorescence sensing and bioimaging.