title: One nanoprobe, two pathogens: gold nanoprobes multiplexing for point-of-care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gold nanoparticles have been widely employed for biosensing purposes with remarkable efficacy for DNA detection. Amongst the proposed systems, colorimetric strategies based on the remarkable optical properties have provided for simple yet effective sequence discrimination with potential for molecular diagnostics at point of need. These systems may also been used for parallel detection of several targets to provide additional information on diagnostics of pathogens.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the first time, we demonstrate that a single Au-nanoprobe may provide for detection of two distinct targets (pathogens) allowing colorimetric multi-target detection. We demonstrate this concept by using one single gold-nanoprobe capable to detect members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and Plasmodium sp., the etiologic agents of tuberculosis and malaria, respectively. Following characterisation, the developed gold-nanoprobe allowed detection of either target in individual samples or in samples containing both DNA species with the same efficacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using one single probe via the non-cross-linking colorimetric methodology it is possible to identify multiple targets in one sample in one reaction. This proof-of-concept approach may easily be integrated into sensing platforms allowing for fast and simple multiplexing of Au-nanoprobe based detection at point-of-need.
authors.affiliation: Nanomedicine@FCT, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, CIGMH, UCIBIO, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal. bmrveigas@gmail.com.|Departamento de Ciência dos Materiais, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, CENIMAT/I3N, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal. bmrveigas@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Veigas
authors.affiliation: Nanomedicine@FCT, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, CIGMH, UCIBIO, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal. pm.pedrosa@campus.fct.unl.pt.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pedrosa
authors.affiliation: Nanomedicine@FCT, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, CIGMH, UCIBIO, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal. fabiocarloss@gmail.com.|STABVIDA, Investigação e Serviços em Ciências Biológicas, Lda. Madan Parque, 2825-182, Caparica, Portugal. fabiocarloss@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fábio F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Carlos
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de Lisboa. Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisbon, Portugal. lilimancio@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mancio-Silva
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de Lisboa. Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisbon, Portugal. agrosso@fm.ul.pt.
authors.forename: Ana Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Grosso
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciência dos Materiais, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, CENIMAT/I3N, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal. emf@fct.unl.pt.
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fortunato
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de Lisboa. Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisbon, Portugal. mmota@fm.ul.pt.
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.affiliation: Nanomedicine@FCT, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, CIGMH, UCIBIO, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal. pmvb@fct.unl.pt.
authors.forename: Pedro V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Baptista
mesh_terms: D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D006046:Gold