title: A versatile water soluble fluorescent probe for ratiometric sensing of Hg2+ and bovine serum albumin.
abstract: A novel tetraazamacrocycle fluorescent sensor (6-(1-(dimethylamino)-5-naphthalene sulfonyl)-3,6,9,15-tetraazabicyclo[9.3.1] pentadeca-1(15),11,13-triene, 1) has been designed and prepared, which can be utilized for selective and ratiometric sensing of Hg(2+) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) with two different responsive modes in aqueous solution at physiological pH (50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.6). Above 0.5 ppb Hg(2+) can be discerned by coordination with 1 and the emission color changes enable 1 to be applied to a fast Hg(2+) test paper assay. Sensor 1 has also been demonstrated to be easily cell-penetrable and applicable for Hg(2+) imaging in living cells. Imaging of BSA in the gel using SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) stained in the medium containing 1 verified that the binding of 1 and BSA was successful in the presence of nonprotein substances. The linear range of 1 towards BSA utilizing ratiometric fluorescent calibration via noncovalent interaction in solution is 0-100 μg mL(-1) with a detection limit of 1 μg mL(-1), and has been successfully employed to determine the albumin concentration in blood serum by means of ratiometric fluorescent measurements for the first time. Finally, sensor 1 behaves as a fluorescent molecular switch composed of triple logic gates upon chemical inputs of Hg(2+) and BSA, which potentially provides intelligent diagnostics for Hg(2+) contaminated serum on the nanoscale.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Coordination Chemistry Institute, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, PR China.
authors.forename: Jinghan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Zhirong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Yuxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Zhilin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010316:Particle Size; D011789:Quantum Theory; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000032:analysis*; D012995:Solubility; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D014867:Water; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D008628:Mercury