Ion-Mediated Aggregation of Gold Nanoparticles for Light-Induced Heating

Plasmon resonance dynamics and enhancement effects in tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) gold nanosphere oligomers

Ruthenium-based metal complexes are one of the most widely studied dyes because of their rich photochemistry and light-harvesting properties. Significant attention has been paid to the energy and charge transfer dynamics of these dyes on semiconductor substrates. However, studies on photophysical and photochemical properties of these dyes in plasmonic environments are rare. In this study, we report a plasmon-mediated resonance energy transfer in an optimized oligomer system that enhances the photoexcited population of the well known dye, tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II), [Ru(BPY)3]2+ adsorbed on gold nanosphere surfaces with a defluorescenced Raman signal. Structural and chemical information is collected using a range of techniques that include in situ time-resolved UV/VIS, DLS, SERS, and TA. The findings have great potential to impact nanoscience broadly with special emphasis on surface photocatalysis, redox chemistry, and solar energy harvesting.

Smartphone-based colorimetric detection of cardiac troponin T via label-free aptasensing

We report an aptasensing platform for the detection of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) in the immediate and early phases of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). High-flow filter paper was used to fabricate a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μ-PAD), which was further modified with gold-decorated polystyrene microparticles functionalized with a highly specific cTnT aptamer. Herein, cTnT detection is presented in two linear ranges (0.01-0.8 μg/ml and 6.25-50 μg/ml) with an LoD of 3.9X10^-4 μg/ml, which is in agreement with reference values determined by the American Heart Association. The proposed platform showed remarkable selectivity against AMI-associated cardiac biomarkers such as TNF-alpha, interleukin-6, cardiac troponin I, and reactive protein-C. This aptasensor is a label-free assay that relies only on smartphone-based image analysis and takes less processing time in comparison with traditional methods like ELISA. Furthermore, it exhibits outstanding stability over 23 days when devices are stored at 4 °C. The reported platform is a stable and cost-effective method for the on-site and user-friendly detection of cTnT in normal saline buffer and diluted human serum.

Capture-SELEX: Selection Strategy, Aptamer Identification, and Biosensing Application

Small-molecule contaminants, such as antibiotics, pesticides, and plasticizers, have emerged as one of the substances most detrimental to human health and the environment. Therefore, it is crucial to develop low-cost, user-friendly, and portable biosensors capable of rapidly detecting these contaminants. Antibodies have traditionally been used as biorecognition elements. However, aptamers have recently been applied as biorecognition elements in aptamer-based biosensors, also known as aptasensors. The systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) is an in vitro technique used to generate aptamers that bind their targets with high affinity and specificity. Over the past decade, a modified SELEX method known as Capture-SELEX has been widely used to generate DNA or RNA aptamers that bind small molecules. In this review, we summarize the recent strategies used for Capture-SELEX, describe the methods commonly used for detecting and characterizing small-molecule-aptamer interactions, and discuss the development of aptamer-based biosensors for various applications. We also discuss the challenges of the Capture-SELEX platform and biosensor development and the possibilities for their future application.

Enhanced fluorescent iron oxide quantum dots for rapid and interference free recognizing lysine in dairy products

In this work, a simple, easy and selective method for sensing lysine in an acidic medium was developed based on fluorescent iron oxide quantum dots (IO QDs). IO QDs using the hydrothermal method were prepared with different conditions (concentration of NPs, amount of citric acid, heating time, heating temperature, and total volume in the hydrothermal reactor) where iron oxide nanoparticles (IO NPs) were used as the starting materials. TEM, FTIR, UV-Vis Spectrometry, fluorescence spectrometry, Powder XRD, VSM were used to characterize the as-prepared IO QDs. The surface of the IO QDs contained -OH, -COO^-, and other functional groups that acted as a bridge to bind the IO QDs nanoprobe with the surrounding analytes. Under acidic conditions (pH 3.0), IO QDs exhibited a rapid and interference-free fluorescence enhancement behavior after adding lysine within 2 min at room temperature, whereas other amino acids had no effect on IO QDs fluorescence. Therefore, the IO QDs prepared in this study have shown potential in lysine sensing applications. The results showed that the relative FL intensity was linear with lysine concentration in the range of 1-100 μM and had a detection limit of 0.66 μM. This proposed method has high selectivity for lysine over other amino acids, and the developed methods were used in real sample with good recoveries. Under relatively acidic conditions, a specific and fast lysine interaction was observed, resulting in the successful of IO QDs as the fluorescent probe for rapid and interference-free lysine assessment in dairy products.

Simultaneous colorimetric and electrochemical detection of trace mercury (Hg2+) using a portable and miniaturized aptasensor

We report a novel aptasensor for the simultaneous colorimetric and electrochemical detection of mercury (Hg²⁺). This device consists of a paper-based microfluidic component (μ-PAD) incorporated into a miniaturized three-electrode system fabricated through printed circuit board (PCB) technology. This biosensor is portable, rapid, versatile, and can detect Hg²⁺ down to 0.01 ppm based on 3σ of the blank/slope criteria. Moreover, it is highly selective against As²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Fe²⁺, reaching up to 13 times more of the input signal than the other heavy metals. The colorimetric detection mechanism uses aptamer functionalized polystyrene (PS)-AgNPs and Ps-AuNPs microparticles' specific aggregation. The Ps-AuNPs-based system allows qualitative detection (LOD 5 ppm) and stability over seven days (up to 97.59% signal retention). For the Ps-AgNPs-based system, the detection limit is 0.5 ppm with a linear range from 0.5 to 20 ppm (adjusted R²= 0.986) and stability over 30 days (up to 94.95% signal retention). The electrochemical component measures changes in charge transfer resistance upon target-aptamer hybridization using a [Ru (NH₃)₆]³⁺Cl₃] redox probe. The latest component presents a linear range from 0.01 to 1 ppm (adjusted R²= 0.935) with a LOD of 0.01 ppm and performance stability over seven days (up to 102.52 ± 11.7 signal retention). This device offers a universal dual detection platform with multiplexing, multi-replication, quantitative color analysis, and minimization of false results. Furthermore, detection results in river samples showed recoveries up to 91.12% (RSD 0.85) and 105.61% (RSD 1.62) for the electrochemical and colorimetric components, respectively. The proposed system is highly selective with no false-positive or false-negative results in an overall wide linear range and can safeguard the accuracy of detection results in aptasensing platforms in general.

LED control of gene expression in a nanobiosystem composed of metallic nanoparticles and a genetically modified E. coli strain

BACKGROUND

Within the last decade, genetic engineering and synthetic biology have revolutionized society´s ability to mass-produce complex biological products within genetically-modified microorganisms containing elegantly designed genetic circuitry. However, many challenges still exist in developing bioproduction processes involving genetically modified microorganisms with complex or multiple gene circuits. These challenges include the development of external gene expression regulation methods with the following characteristics: spatial-temporal control and scalability, while inducing minimal permanent or irreversible system-wide conditions. Different stimuli have been used to control gene expression and mitigate these challenges, and they can be characterized by the effect they produce in the culture media conditions. Invasive stimuli that cause permanent, irreversible changes (pH and chemical inducers), non-invasive stimuli that cause partially reversible changes (temperature), and non-invasive stimuli that cause reversible changes in the media conditions (ultrasound, magnetic fields, and light).

METHODS

Opto-control of gene expression is a non-invasive external trigger that complies with most of the desired characteristics of an external control system. However, the disadvantage relies on the design of the biological photoreceptors and the necessity to design them to respond to a different wavelength for every bioprocess needed to be controlled or regulated in the microorganism. Therefore, this work proposes using biocompatible metallic nanoparticles as external controllers of gene expression, based on their ability to convert light into heat and the capacity of nanotechnology to easily design a wide array of nanostructures capable of absorbing light at different wavelengths and inducing plasmonic photothermal heating.

RESULTS

Here, we designed a nanobiosystem that can be opto-thermally triggered using LED light. The nanobiosystem is composed of biocompatible gold nanoparticles and a genetically modified E. coli with a plasmid that allows mCherry fluorescent protein production at 37 °C in response to an RNA thermometer.

CONCLUSIONS

The LED-triggered photothermal protein production system here designed offers a new, cheaper, scalable switchable method, non-destructive for living organisms, and contribute toward the evolution of bioprocess production systems.

Designing a two-stage colorimetric sensing strategy based on citrate reduced gold nanoparticles: Sequential detection of Sanguinarine (anticancer drug) and visual sensing of DNA

Distance dependent optical properties of colloidal gold nanoparticles offer designing of colorimetric sensing modalities for detection of a variety of analytes. Herein, we report a simple and facile colorimetric detection assay for an anti-cancer drug, Sanguinarine (SNG) and Calf Thymus DNA (Ct-DNA) based on citrate reduced gold nanoparticles (CI-Au NPs). The electrostatic interaction between SNG and CI-Au NPs induce aggregation of Au NPs accompanied with visible colour change of colloidal solution. The assay conditions like salt concentration, pH and reaction time had been adjusted to achieve highly sensitive and fast colorimetric response. Furthermore, the optimized CI-Au NPs/SNG sensing system is used for the detection of Ct-DNA based on the mechanism of anti-aggregation of CI-Au NPs. The simultaneous presence of SNG and Ct-DNA prevent aggregation of Au NPs owing to preferential formation of Ct-DNA-SNG intercalation complex and colour of the Au NPs solution tends to remain red, depending on the concentration of Ct-DNA in solution. The degree of aggregation and anti-aggregation of CI-Au NPs was monitored using Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) measurements and UV-Visible spectrophotometry by analysing the ratio of absorptions for aggregated and dispersed Au NPs. The intercalation mode of binding between SNG and Ct-DNA in CI-Au NPs/SNG sensing system was determined by Fluorescence spectral studies and UV-thermal melting studies. The absorption ratio (A₆₂₇/A₅₂₅) of Au NPs exhibited a linear correlation with SNG concentrations in the range from 0 to 0.9 μM with detection limit as 0.046 μM. This optical method can determine Ct-DNA as low as 0.36 μM and the calibration is linear for concentration range 0 to 5 μM. The proposed sensing strategy enables detection as well as quantification of SNG & Ct-DNA in real samples with satisfactory results and finds application in drug or DNA monitoring.

Development of a Theoretical Model That Predicts Optothermal Energy Conversion of Gold Metallic Nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can be found in different shapes and sizes, which determine their chemical and physical characteristics. Physical and chemical properties of metallic NPs can be tuned by changing their shape, size, and surface chemistry; therefore, this has led to their use in a wide variety of applications in many industrial and academic sectors. One of the features of metallic NPs is their ability to act as optothermal energy converters, where they absorb light at a specific wavelength and heat up their local nanosurfaces. This feature has been used in many applications where metallic NPs get coupled with thermally responsive systems to trigger an optical response. In this study, we synthesized AuNPs that are spherical in shape with an average diameter of 20.07 nm. This work assessed simultaneously theoretical and experimental techniques to evaluate the different factors that affect heat generation at the surface of AuNPs when exposed to a specific light wavelength. The results indicated that laser power, concentration of AuNPs, time × laser power interaction, and time illumination, were the most important factors that contributed to the temperature change exhibited in the AuNPs solution. We report a regression model that allows predicting heat generation and temperature changes with residual standard errors of less than 4%. These results are highly relevant in the future design and development of applications where metallic NPs are incorporated into systems to induce a temperature change triggered by light exposure.

Hydrogenation of hydrophobic substrates catalyzed by gold nanoparticles embedded in Tetronic/cyclodextrin-based hydrogels

Hydrogenation of alkenes, alkynes and aldehydes was investigated under biphasic conditions using Au nanoparticles (AuNP) embedded into combinations of α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) and a poloxamine (Tetronic®90R4).