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Determination of the Glycogen Content in Cyanobacteria
Published on: July 17, 2017
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Spectrofluorometric method for detection glycogen using chemically gold nanoparticles: Cyanobacteria as biological
Esam M Bakir1, Nermin A El Semary2
1Chemistry Department, College of Science, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Al-Abassia11566, Cairo, Egypt.
Summary
A new spectrofluorimetric method quantifies glycogen using gold nanoparticles synthesized by cyanobacteria. This stable method offers sensitive detection of glycogen molecules.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Nanotechnology
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- Glycogen detection requires simple, sensitive methods.
- Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) offer unique optical properties for sensing.
- Cyanobacteria can biosynthesize gold nanoparticles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a simple spectrofluorimetric method for glycogen quantification.
- To utilize cyanobacteria-mediated gold nanoparticles for glycogen detection.
- To investigate the binding interaction between gold nanoparticles and glycogen.
Main Methods:
- Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using two cyanobacteria strains.
- Characterization of gold nanoparticles and Au-glycogen hydrocolloids (morphology, optical properties).
- Spectrofluorimetric analysis to determine glycogen concentration, detection, and quantitation limits.
Main Results:
- Biosynthesized AuNPs-glycogen exhibited a plasmon band at 520-540 nm.
- Glycogen vibrational bands were observed at 1,000–1,200 cm⁻¹.
- Enhanced luminescence stability of AuNPs with increasing glycogen concentration.
- Detection limit (LOD) of 0.89 µmol L⁻¹ and quantitation limit (LOQ) of 2.95 µmol L⁻¹ (R² = 0.99).
Conclusions:
- The association between gold nanoparticles and glycogen forms a stable colloidal system.
- The proposed spectrofluorimetric method provides a stable and sensitive approach for glycogen quantification.
- This method holds potential for biological applications using cyanobacteria-derived gold nanoparticles.

