Zn(2+)-cyclen-based complex enable a selective detection of single-stranded thymine-rich DNA in aqueous buffer.
It is a big challenge to develop fluorescent probes for selective detection of DNA with specific sequences in aqueous buffers. We report a new tetraphenylethene-based Zn(2+)-cyclen complex (TPECyZn), and a chemo-sensing ensemble of the Zn complex with phenol red. TPECyZn showed significant fluorescence enhancement upon binding to thymine-rich DNA in HEPES buffers. But its selectivity was not high enough to eliminate the interference from some random DNA. By constructing the chemo-sensing ensemble of TPECyZn with phenol red, the background fluorescence was eliminated due to the energy transfer from TPECyZn to phenol red. Moreover, this chemo-sensing ensemble revealed high selectivity in detecting thymine-rich single-stranded DNA over other DNA in aqueous buffer. It can detect poly deoxythymidylic acid sequence as short as 2 nt. This detection in aqueous media makes this probe feasible in real application.
Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory on Organic and Polymeric Optoelectronic Materials, Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, PR China.
Zece
Z
Zhu
Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory on Organic and Polymeric Optoelectronic Materials, Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, PR China.
Sheng
S
Wang
Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory on Organic and Polymeric Optoelectronic Materials, Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, PR China.
Danqing
D
Wei
Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory on Organic and Polymeric Optoelectronic Materials, Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, PR China; New Materials Technology Institute, Co-Innovation Center for Micro/Nano Optoelectronic Materials and Devices, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences, Chongqing, 402160, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: clyang@whu.edu.cn.
Chuluo
C
Yang
D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D056831:Coordination Complexes / Q000737:chemistry*; D000080027:Cyclams; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000032:analysis*; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D008958:Models, Molecular; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D010637:Phenolsulfonphthalein / Q000737:chemistry; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D013941:Thymine / Q000032:analysis*; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry*
D004396:Coloring Agents; D056831:Coordination Complexes; D000080027:Cyclams; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; C038072:cyclen; D010637:Phenolsulfonphthalein; D015032:Zinc; D013941:Thymine
Chemo-sensing ensemble; Fluorescent sensors; Tetraphenylethene; Thymine-rich DNA; Zinc complex