title: Fluorescence sensing of intermolecular interactions and development of direct molecular biosensors.
abstract: Molecular biosensors are devices of molecular size that are designed for sensing different analytes on the basis of biospecific recognition. They should provide two coupled functions - the recognition (specific binding) of the target and the transduction of information about the recognition event into a measurable signal. The present review highlights the achievements and prospects in design and operation of molecular biosensors for which the transduction mechanism is based on fluorescence. We focus on the general strategy of fluorescent molecular sensing, construction of sensor elements, based on natural and designed biopolymers (proteins and nucleic acids). Particular attention is given to the coupling of sensing elements with fluorescent reporter dyes and to the methods for producing efficient fluorescence responses.
authors.affiliation: UMR 7175 CNRS/ULP, ESBS, Parc d'Innovation, Bld S. Brant, BP 10413, 67412 Illkirch Cedex, France. daniele.altschuh@esbs.u-strasbg.fr
authors.forename: Danièle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Altschuh
authors.forename: Sule
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oncul
authors.forename: Alexander P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Demchenko
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure
chemical_list: D001704:Biopolymers; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes