Successive and Specific Detection of Hg²⁺ and I^- by a DNA@MOF Biosensor: Experimental and Simulation Studies

A 2D metal-organic framework (MOF) of {[Cu(Dcbb)(Bpe)]·Cl} _n (1, H₂DcbbBr = 1-(3,5-dicarboxybenzyl)-4,4'-bipyridinium bromide, Bpe = trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene)) has been prepared. MOF 1 associates with the thymine-rich (T-rich), single-stranded probe DNA (ss-DNA, denoted as P-DNA) labeled with fluorophore FAM (FAM = carboxyfluorescein) and quenches the FAM emission to give a nonemissive P-DNA@1 hybrid (off state). The P-DNA in the hybrid subsequently captures the Hg²⁺ to give a rigid double-stranded DNA featuring T-Hg²⁺-T motif (ds-DNA@Hg²⁺) and detach from MOF 1, triggering the recovery of the FAM fluorescence (on state). Upon subsequent addition of I^-, Hg²⁺ was further sequestrated from the ds-DNA@Hg²⁺ duplex, driven by the stronger Hg-I coordination. The released P-DNA is resorbed by MOF 1 to regain the initial P-DNA@1 hybrid (off state). The P-DNA@1 sensor thus detects Hg²⁺ and I^- sequentially via a fluorescence "off-on-off" mechanism. The sensor is highly selective and sensitive, yielding detection limits of 3.2 and 3.3 nM, respectively. The detection process was conformed by circular dichroism (CD) and the detection mechanism was verified by fluorescence anisotropy, binding constant, and simulation of the binding free energy at each stage.