<title>FRET-based luminescence sensors for carbohydrates and glycoproteins analysis</title>

Abstract

This paper describes the development of novel particle-based fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensors. It describes the fundamentals of FRET in heterogeneous systems and the application of the new sensors in monitoring the binding affinity of carbohydrates and glycoproteins to lectins, which are carbohydrate binding proteins. The sensing approach is based on FRET between fluorescein (donor) labeled lectin molecules, adsorbed on the surface of micrometric polymeric beads, and polymeric dextran molecules labeled with Texas Red (acceptor). The FRET signal of the sensor decreases in the presence of carbohydrates or glycoproteins that inhibit the binding of Texas Red-labeled dextran molecules to the lectinic binding sites. The new FRET sensors could discriminate between carbohydrates and glycoproteins based on their binding affinity to the FRET sensing particles. Thery were also used for quantitative analysis of carbohydrates and glycoproteins in aqueous samples.© (2004) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.