Probing disease-related proteins with fluorogenic composite materials.

Xiao-Peng He,Yi Zang,Tony D James,Jia Li,Guo-Rong Chen

doi:10.1039/c4cs00252k

Abstract

Construction of composite materials based on the self-assembly of fluorescently labeled biomolecules with a variety of micro- or nano-quenching materials (by the Förster Resonance Energy Transfer mechanism) for the fluorogenic recognition of disease-related proteins has become a dynamic research topic in the field of fluorescence recognition. Here we summarize the recent progress on the composition of fluorescence dye-labeled biomolecules including sugars, peptides and nucleotides with organic (graphene and carbon nanotubes) and inorganic (gold nanoparticles) materials. Their application in the fluorescence detection of proteins and enzymes on both the molecular and cellular levels is discussed. Perspectives are proposed with respect to the future directions of employing these composite materials in the recognition of pathological proteins.

Highlights

Compared with the conventional methods, these materials are of substantial merit in terms of the following factors: (1) the fluorescently labeled biomolecules can spontaneously adhere to the surface of a material to generate a fluorogenic composite material (FCM) using the Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) mechanism;[4] (2) these composite materials can be used to detect label-free proteins with short detection time and easyto-manipulate detection procedures; (3) clustering of biomolecules at a material interface can enhance their binding avidity with proteins, which overcomes the inherent low binding affinity between small molecules and a protein; (4) since most of these detection strategies are solution-based, live cells and pathogens that express a pathological protein can be captured sensitively in a label-free manner, and even in vivo
We reported the fabrication of a resveratrol confined graphene oxide (GO)-FCM for the sensitive detection of both amyloid b (Ab) monomers and fibrils (Fig. 6).[18]
The three general quenching materials for organic dyes, i.e. gold nano-particles (AuNPs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and graphene oxide (GO, ranging from nano- to micro-size), have all been shown to be suitable building blocks for the construction of FCM probes. The materials serve both as a quencher and as a platform that clusters dye-labelled biomolecules for the detection of an analyte protein with high sensitivity and selectivity

Summary

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Construction of composite materials based on the self-assembly of fluorescently labeled biomolecules with a variety of micro- or nano-quenching materials (by the Forster Resonance Energy Transfer mechanism) for the fluorogenic recognition of disease-related proteins has become a dynamic research topic in the field of fluorescence recognition. We summarize the recent progress on the composition of fluorescence dye-labeled biomolecules including sugars, peptides and nucleotides with organic (graphene and carbon nanotubes) and inorganic (gold nanoparticles) materials. Their application in the fluorescence detection of proteins and enzymes on both the molecular and cellular levels is discussed. Key learning points (1) Principles of constructing fluorogenic composite materials (FCMs). Key learning points (1) Principles of constructing fluorogenic composite materials (FCMs). (2) Use of graphene, carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles as quenching materials. (3) Scope of using FCMs for fluorescence detection of disease-related proteins. (4) Future improvement and extension of FCMs towards disease theranostics

Introduction

Tutorial Review

General principle for the construction of FCMs

Findings

Summary and perspective