Document Type
Journal Article
Department/Unit
Department of Chemistry
Title
Label-free detection of sub-nanomolar lead(II) ions in aqueous solution using a metal-based luminescent switch-on probe
Language
English
Abstract
A label-free oligonucleotide-based luminescent switch-on assay has been developed for the selective detection of sub-nanomolar Pb2+ ions in aqueous solution and real water samples. An iridium(III) complex was employed as a G-quadruplex specific luminescent probe and a guanine rich DNA (PS2.M, 5'-GTG3TAG3CG3T2G2-3') was employed as recognition unit for Pb2+ ions. The PS2.M exists in a single-stranded conformation in the absence of Pb2+ ions, and the weak binding of the iridium(III) probe to ssDNA results in a weak luminescence signal. Upon binding to Pb2+ ions, the single-stranded DNA sequence (PS2.M) is induced into a G-quadruplex conformation, which greatly enhances the luminescence emission of the iridium(III) probe. The assay can detect Pb2+ ions in aqueous media with a limit of detection of 600pM. It also exhibits good selectivity for Pb2+ ions over other heavy metal ions. Furthermore, the application of the assay for the detection of Pb2+ ions in spiked river water samples has been demonstrated. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.
Keywords
G-quadruplex, Iridium(III) complex, Label-free detection, Lead(II) ion, Luminescent probe
Publication Date
2013
Source Publication Title
Biosensors and Bioelectronics
Volume
41
Start Page
871
End Page
874
Publisher
Elsevier
DOI
10.1016/j.bios.2012.08.060
Link to Publisher's Edition
ISSN (print)
09565663
ISSN (electronic)
18734235
Recommended Citation
He, Hong-Zhang, Ka-Ho Leung, Hui Yang, Daniel Shiu-Hin Chan, Chung-Hang Leung, Jun Zhou, Anne Bourdoncle, Jean-Louis Mergny, and Dik-Lung Ma. "Label-free detection of sub-nanomolar lead(II) ions in aqueous solution using a metal-based luminescent switch-on probe." Biosensors and Bioelectronics 41 (2013): 871-874.