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Addressable nanoantennas with cleared hotspots for single-molecule detection on a portable smartphone microscope
Kateryna Trofymchuk1,2, Viktorija Glembockyte3, Lennart Grabenhorst4
1Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany. kateryna.trofymchuk@cup.lmu.de.
Nature Communications
|February 12, 2021
Summary
Researchers developed NanoAntennas with Cleared HOtSpots (NACHOS) to simplify single-molecule detection. This innovation allows detection using a smartphone camera, enabling portable diagnostics.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Biophysics
- Molecular Diagnostics
Background:
- Single-molecule detection is crucial for diagnostics but requires expensive equipment.
- Current methods are limited by the nanoscopic signal of single emitters.
- Simplifying detection is key for applications like point-of-care diagnostics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a cost-effective and simplified method for single-molecule detection.
- To enhance the brightness of single emitters for easier detection.
- To enable portable single-molecule detection for field applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized DNA origami nanostructures to scaffold addressable NanoAntennas with Cleared HOtSpots (NACHOS).
- Incorporated bioassays tailored for NACHOS.
- Developed a portable, battery-powered smartphone microscope system.
Main Results:
- NACHOS enhanced single emitter brightness by up to 461-fold (average 89 ± 7-fold).
- Enabled detection of single molecules using a smartphone camera and low-cost lens.
- Successfully performed single-molecule detection of antibiotic-resistant Klebsiella pneumonia DNA in a portable setting.
Conclusions:
- NACHOS technology significantly simplifies and enhances single-molecule detection.
- The developed smartphone microscope system is suitable for portable, low-cost diagnostics.
- This approach holds promise for democratizing advanced molecular detection in various settings.
