Advances in FRET-based Applications Within Biomimicking Molecular Self-assemblies

Non-radiative energy transfer due to dipole-dipole interaction between closely spaced fluorescent donors and a suitable acceptor holds the pivotal backbone of the significantly insightful physical process called the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). Biomimicking self-assemblies, such as vesicles, liquid crystals, micelles, and DNAs, have gradually become vital platforms to understand and explore the basic FRET-based applications as alternatives to the complex and dynamic cellular systems. Utilization of a broad range of donor and acceptor molecules, modulation in their photophysical properties in various biomimicking self-assemblies, and subsequent modulation in the FRET behavior therein lay the foundation for several important FRET-based applications, such as biosensing, reactive oxygen species generation, bio-imaging, stimuli-responsive material fabrication, etc. This review article, therefore, delineates some advancements made toward FRET-based applications within biomimicking self-assemblies.