Highly sensitive fluorescent detection of trypsin based on BSA-stabilized gold nanoclusters

• Published in: Biosensors & bioelectronics Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 297 - 299
• Main Authors: Hu, Lianzhe, Han, Shuang, Parveen, Saima, Yuan, Yali, Zhang, Ling, Xu, Guobao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 15.02.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biosensing Techniques - methods; Biosensors; Biotechnology; Cattle; Digestion; Fluorescence; Fluorescent Dyes - chemistry; Fluorescent Dyes - metabolism; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gold; Gold - chemistry; Humans; Limit of Detection; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Nanoclusters; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanostructure; Nanostructures - chemistry; Protease; Serum Albumin, Bovine - chemistry; Serum Albumin, Bovine - metabolism; Signal-To-Noise Ratio; Trypsin; Trypsin - analysis; Trypsin - metabolism; Trypsin - urine; Various methods and equipments; Fluorescence; Gold; Biosensors; Protease; Nanoclusters; Peptidases; Trypsin; Serine endopeptidases; Enzyme; Biosensor; Hydrolases; Detection
• ISSN: 0956-5663; 1873-4235
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2011.12.007

► Fluorescent nanocluster is a novel protease sensing platform. ► The detection bases on trypsin digestion of BSA-stabilized Au nanoclusters. ► The fluorescence of BSA-stabilized Au nanoclusters depends on trypsin concentrations. ► The proposed method is the most sensitive fluorescent method for trypsin detection. In this study, fluorescent metal nanoclusters are presented as novel probes for sensitive detection of protease for the first time. The sensing mechanism is based on trypsin digestion of the protein template of BSA-stabilized Au nanoclusters. The decrease in fluorescence intensity of BSA-Au nanoclusters caused by trypsin allows the sensitive detection of trypsin in the range of 0.01–100 μg/mL. The detection limit for trypsin is 2 ng/mL (86 pM) at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The present nanosensor for trypsin detection possesses red emission, excellent biocompatibility, high selectivity, and good stability. In addition, we demonstrated the application of the present approach in real urine samples, which suggested its potential for diagnostic purposes.