Controlled-Release-Based Ultrasensitive and Highly Selective Turn-On Fluorescent Mercury Biosensor

Key Words:Cell imaging; Detection; Fluorescence; Mercury ion; Sensor

Abstract:A novel fluorescent biosensor for ultrasensitive and highly selective detection of Hg2+ was developed by coupling Hg2+-induced conformational change of single-stranded DNA recognition probe with T-rich sequence and controlled-release of cargo molecules loaded by Au nanocages with T-Hg2+-T coordination chemistry. A detection limit of as low as 1.4x10(-12) M with an excellent selectivity toward Hg2+ could be achieved. The developed amplification strategy based on the controlled-release of fluorescent molecules reached an extraordinary sensitivity of analyses, and may be further extended for the detection of a large class of analytes including protein, DNA and biological small molecules by combining molecular gate technology. The results of fluorescence microscopy imaging in living cells indicate that the fabricated system is an efficient controlled-release biosensor in response to intracellular target molecules and predict its potential use for insitu molecular imaging in living systems.

Volume:2

Translation or Not:no