Stabilized Silver Nanoclusters Research Articles

Fluorescent DNA Stabilized Silver Nanoclusters as Biosensors

DNA stabilized fluorescent silver nanoclusters are promising materials, of which fluorescent properties can be exploited to develop sensors. Particularly, the presence of a DNA strand in the structure has promoted the development of gene sensors where one part of the sensor is able to recognize the target gene sequence. Moreover, since oligonucleotides can be designed to have binding properties (aptamers) a variety of sensors for proteins and cells have been developed using silver nanoclusters. In this review the applications of this material as sensors of different biomolecules are summarized.

Enhanced fluorescence of silver nanoclusters stabilized with branched oligonucleotides

DNA stabilized silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) are promising optical materials, whose fluorescence properties can be tuned by the selection of the DNA sequence employed. In this work we have used modified oligonucleotides in the preparation of AgNCs. The fluorescent intensity obtained was 60 times higher than that achieved with standard oligonucleotides.

Oligonucleotide stabilized silver nanoclusters as fluorescence probe for drug–DNA interaction investigation

In this work, oligonucleotide stabilized silver nanoclusters as novel fluorescent probes were successfully utilized for the drug–DNA interaction study. Silver nanoclusters were proved to be sensitive probes for the drugs investigated (including of two kinds of intercalators, daunorubicin and quinacrine, as well as a non-intercalating binder bisBenzimide H 33258), as the detection limits at 10 −8 mol L −1 level of studied drugs can be achieved. The interactions of drugs and calf thymus DNA were investigated using non-linear fit analysis, and the binding constants as well as binding site sizes were obtained. As biocompatible materials, silver nanoclusters are promising in the chemical especially biochemical analysis fields.

Strand exchange reaction modulated fluorescence “off–on” switching of hybridized DNA duplex stabilized silver nanoclusters

The fluorescence (FL)"off-on" switching of designed DNA duplex stabilized silver nanoclusters can be accomplished through the control of DNA strand exchange reaction. The successful sequential control of the FL emission of silver nanoclusters in "off-on" switching cycles confirms that the DNA duplex stabilized silver nanoclusters can work as a new kind of DNA FL switch.