Liposome-based homogeneous luminescence resonance energy transfer

Luminescence stability improvement in liposome-based homogeneous luminescence resonance energy transfer

A stable liposome-based time-resolved luminescence resonance energy transfer (TR-LRET) assay was developed based on the interaction of biotinylated lipids and streptavidin. Eu(3+) ion chelated to 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(2-naphthalenyl)-1,3-butanedione and trioctylphosphine oxide was incorporated into liposomes. Acceptor-labeled streptavidin bound to biotinylated lipids of the liposomes enables TR-LRET. A stable assay performance was achieved by optimization. High Eu(3+) signal and stability, low variation, and sensitivity below 100 pM for free biotin was achieved by incorporating the chelate into liposomes containing cholesterol in a carbonate buffer. Potentially, the stable assay compared with the assay without cholesterol offers an improved platform to liposome-based detection systems.

Time resolved spectroscopy of inorganic complexes

Time resolved spectroscopy has revolutionised our understanding of photochemical and photophysical reactions of inorganic complexes. In this review, we briefly describe the most common time resolved optical spectroscopic methods applied to inorganic complexes and outline some examples and highlights from the recent literature. The review is not intended to be exhaustive, but highlights key recent papers from coordination chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, carbonyl chemistry and bioinorganic chemistry, as well as, recent insights from ultrafast spectroscopy into the photophysics of important prototypes such as [Ru(bpy)3]2+ and [Cu(dmp)2]+. A brief perspective is then presented which discusses areas where time resolved spectroscopy of inorganic complexes could play a particularly important role in the next few years.