Probing biocatalytic transformations with luminescent DNA/silver nanoclusters

Xiaoqing Liu, Fuan Wang, Angelica Niazov-Elkan, Weiwei Guo, Itamar Willner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

DNA-stabilized Ag nanoclusters, AgNCs, act as fluorescent labels for probing enzyme activities and their substrates. The effective quenching of AgNCs by H2O2 enables the probing of H2O 2-generating oxidases. This is demonstrated by following the glucose oxidase-stimulated oxidation of glucose through the enzyme-catalyzed formation of H2O2. Similarly, the effective quenching of the AgNCs by quinones enabled the detection of tyrosinase through the biocatalyzed oxidation of tyrosine, dopamine, or tyramine to the respective quinone products. The sensitive probing of biocatalytic processes by the AgNCs was further implemented to follow bienzyme catalytic cascades involving alkaline phosphatase/tyrosinase and acetylcholine esterase/choline oxidase. The characterization of the alkaline phosphatase/tyrosinase cascade enabled the ultrasensitive detection of alkaline phosphatase (5 × 10-5 units/mL) and the detection of o-phospho-l-tyrosine that is an important intracellular promoter and control growth factor.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)309-314
Number of pages6
JournalNano Letters
Volume13
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 9 Jan 2013

Keywords

  • acetylcholine esterase
  • Ag nanoclusters
  • alkaline phosphatase
  • enzyme
  • fluorescence
  • tyrosinase

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Bioengineering
  • General Chemistry
  • General Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Mechanical Engineering

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