Ultrafast fluorescence dynamics of DNA-based silver clusters

A single nucleobase tunes nonradiative decay in a DNA-bound silver cluster

DNA strands are polymeric ligands that both protect and tune molecular-sized silver cluster chromophores. We studied single-stranded DNA C₄AC₄TC₃XT₄ with X = guanosine and inosine that form a green fluorescent Ag₁₀ ⁶⁺ cluster, but these two hosts are distinguished by their binding sites and the brightness of their Ag₁₀ ⁶⁺ adducts. The nucleobase subunits in these oligomers collectively coordinate this cluster, and fs time-resolved infrared spectra previously identified one point of contact between the C2-NH₂ of the X = guanosine, an interaction that is precluded for inosine. Furthermore, this single nucleobase controls the cluster fluorescence as the X = guanosine complex is ∼2.5× dimmer. We discuss the electronic relaxation in these two complexes using transient absorption spectroscopy in the time window 200 fs-400 µs. Three prominent features emerged: a ground state bleach, an excited state absorption, and a stimulated emission. Stimulated emission at the earliest delay time (200 fs) suggests that the emissive state is populated promptly following photoexcitation. Concurrently, the excited state decays and the ground state recovers, and these changes are ∼2× faster for the X = guanosine compared to the X = inosine cluster, paralleling their brightness difference. In contrast to similar radiative decay rates, the nonradiative decay rate is 7× higher with the X = guanosine vs inosine strand. A minor decay channel via a dark state is discussed. The possible correlation between the nonradiative decay and selective coordination with the X = guanosine/inosine suggests that specific nucleobase subunits within a DNA strand can modulate cluster-ligand interactions and, in turn, cluster brightness.

Time-Resolved Vibrational Fingerprints for Two Silver Cluster-DNA Fluorophores

DNA-templated silver clusters are chromophores in which the nucleobases encode the cluster spectra and brightness. We describe the coordination environments of two nearly identical Ag₁₀⁶⁺ clusters that form with 18-nucleotide strands CCCCA CCCCT CCCX TTTT, with X = guanosine and inosine. For the first time, femtosecond time-resolved infrared (TRIR) spectroscopy with visible excitation and mid-infrared probing is used to correlate the response of nucleobase vibrational modes to electronic excitation of the metal cluster. A rich pattern of transient TRIR peaks in the 1400-1720 cm^-1 range decays synchronously with the visible emission. Specific infrared signatures associated with the single guanosine/inosine along with a subset of cytidines, but not the thymidines, are observed. These fingerprints suggest that the network of bonds between a silver cluster adduct and its polydentate DNA ligands can be deciphered to rationally tune the coordination and thus spectra of molecular silver chromophores.

The effect of pH and ionic strength on the fluorescence properties of a red emissive DNA-stabilized silver nanocluster

DNA-stabilized silver nanoclusters (DNA-AgNCs) are a class of promising fluorophores for imaging and sensing applications. All aspects of their spectroscopic properties are not yet fully characterized, leaving this field still with a number of fundamental studies to be addressed. In this work, we studied the spectroscopic properties of red-emitting DNA-AgNCs at different pH (5 to 9) and ionic strength μ (0.005 to 0.5). The photophysical properties of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) purified DNA-AgNCs proved to be constant over a large range of pH and μ, with absorption, emission and fluorescence decay times only being affected at very high pH and μ values. Non-purified DNA-AgNCs were also unaffected by pH and/or μ variations, but significant differences can be observed between the rotational correlation times of purified and non-purified DNA-AgNCs.

Disentangling optically activated delayed fluorescence and upconversion fluorescence in DNA stabilized silver nanoclusters

Optically activated delayed fluorescence (OADF) is a powerful tool for generating background-free, anti-Stokes fluorescence microscopy modalities. Recent findings, using DNA-stabilized silver nanoclusters (DNA-AgNCs), indicate that OADF is usually accompanied by a dark state-mediated consecutive photon absorption process leading to upconversion fluorescence (UCF). In this study, we disentangle the OADF and UCF process by means of wavelength-dependent NIR excitation spectroscopy. We demonstrate that, by appropriate choice of secondary NIR excitation wavelength, the dark state population can be preferentially depleted through OADF, minimizing the UCF contribution. These findings show that dark state depletion by OADF might enable background-free STED-like nanoscopy.

Switchable Dual-Emissive DNA-Stabilized Silver Nanoclusters

We investigated an ss-DNA sequence that can stabilize a red- and a green-emissive silver nanocluster (DNA-AgNC). These two emitters can convert between each other in a reversible way. The change from red- to green-emitting DNA-AgNCs can be triggered by the addition of H₂O₂, while the opposite conversion can be achieved by the addition of NaBH₄. Besides demonstrating the switching between red- and green-emissive DNA-AgNCs and determining the recoverability, we fully characterized the photophysical properties, such as steady-state emission, quantum yield, fluorescence lifetime, and anisotropy of the two emissive species. Understanding the mechanism behind the remarkable conversion between the two emitters could lead to the development of a new range of DNA-AgNC-based ratiometric sensors.

Preparation and characterization of solid DNA silver nanoclusters with superior aerobic and thermal stability

In the current study, we present a universal method to preserve DNA-templated silver nanoclusters (DNA AgNCs) in the solid-state. Our results show that DNA AgNCs must be precipitated before drying. By drying the ethanol precipitated DNA AgNCs, we have successfully prepared solid DNA AgNCs with superior stability in aerobic and high-temperature environments. Although the fluorescence lifetime measurements show that the emission of DNA AgNCs is drastically quenched in the solid-state, the emission can be fully recovered in solution. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to prepare DNA AgNCs in solid-state, and this finding provides an ideal solution for the transportation and long-term preservation of DNA AgNCs.

The solid DNA AgNCs exhibit superior stability and the fluorescence can be recovered in solution.