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Cite this: Analyst, 2014, 139, 2404
Electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer between graphene quantum dots and gold nanoparticles for DNA damage detection† Qian Lu,a Wei Wei,a Zhenxian Zhou,b Zhixin Zhou,a Yuanjian Zhanga and Songqin Liu*a Bright blue luminescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with major graphitic structured nanocrystals and a photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield of 15.5% were synthesized and used to monitor DNA damage. The GQDs were prepared by ultraviolet irradiation without using a chemical agent. The as-prepared GQDs showed excitation-dependent PL and stable electrochemiluminescence (ECL) behaviors. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were linked with a probe of single-stranded DNA (cp53 ssDNA) to form AuNPsssDNA. The ECL signal of the GQDs could be quenched by non-covalent binding of the AuNPs-ssDNA to the GQDs, due to the occurrence of an electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer between the GQDs and the AuNPs. When AuNPs-ssDNA was then hybridized with target p53 DNA to form AuNPs-dsDNA, the non-covalent interaction between the GQDs and the ds-DNA weakened and the ECL of the GQDs recovered. This engendered an ECL sensor for the detection of target p53 ssDNA,
Received 6th January 2014 Accepted 7th February 2014
with a detection limit of 13 nM. The resultant ECL sensor could be used for DNA damage detection
DOI: 10.1039/c4an00020j
based on its different bonding ability to damaged target p53 ssDNA and cp53 ssDNA linked AuNPs. The presented method could be expanded to the development of other ECL biosensors, for the
www.rsc.org/analyst
quantification of nucleic acids, single nucleotide polymorphisms or other aptamer-specific biomolecules.
1. Introduction Recently, carbon nanostructured materials have received considerable attention due to their potential for applications in supercapacitors,1 fuel cells,2 and biosensors. These carbon nanostructured materials include carbon nanotubes,3–5 carbon nanobers,6–8 carbon nanocapsules,9,10 carbon dots and graphene.11–14 It has been demonstrated that the cleaving of graphene nanosheets into graphene quantum dots (
Published on 07 February 2014. Downloaded by Université Laval on 02/10/2014 13:23:35.
PAPER
View Journal | View Issue
Cite this: Analyst, 2014, 139, 2404
Electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer between graphene quantum dots and gold nanoparticles for DNA damage detection† Qian Lu,a Wei Wei,a Zhenxian Zhou,b Zhixin Zhou,a Yuanjian Zhanga and Songqin Liu*a Bright blue luminescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with major graphitic structured nanocrystals and a photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield of 15.5% were synthesized and used to monitor DNA damage. The GQDs were prepared by ultraviolet irradiation without using a chemical agent. The as-prepared GQDs showed excitation-dependent PL and stable electrochemiluminescence (ECL) behaviors. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were linked with a probe of single-stranded DNA (cp53 ssDNA) to form AuNPsssDNA. The ECL signal of the GQDs could be quenched by non-covalent binding of the AuNPs-ssDNA to the GQDs, due to the occurrence of an electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer between the GQDs and the AuNPs. When AuNPs-ssDNA was then hybridized with target p53 DNA to form AuNPs-dsDNA, the non-covalent interaction between the GQDs and the ds-DNA weakened and the ECL of the GQDs recovered. This engendered an ECL sensor for the detection of target p53 ssDNA,
Received 6th January 2014 Accepted 7th February 2014
with a detection limit of 13 nM. The resultant ECL sensor could be used for DNA damage detection
DOI: 10.1039/c4an00020j
based on its different bonding ability to damaged target p53 ssDNA and cp53 ssDNA linked AuNPs. The presented method could be expanded to the development of other ECL biosensors, for the
www.rsc.org/analyst
quantification of nucleic acids, single nucleotide polymorphisms or other aptamer-specific biomolecules.
1. Introduction Recently, carbon nanostructured materials have received considerable attention due to their potential for applications in supercapacitors,1 fuel cells,2 and biosensors. These carbon nanostructured materials include carbon nanotubes,3–5 carbon nanobers,6–8 carbon nanocapsules,9,10 carbon dots and graphene.11–14 It has been demonstrated that the cleaving of graphene nanosheets into graphene quantum dots (
