Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used for extra-cellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). Consequently, Au NPs were formed due to reduction of gold ion by bacterial cell supernatant of P. aeruginosa ATCC 90271, P. aeruginosa (2) and P. aeruginosa (1). The UV-vis and fluorescence spectra of the bacterial as well as chemical prepared Au NPs were recorded. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrograph showed the formation of well-dispersed gold nanoparticles in the range of 15-30 nm. The process of reduction being extra-cellular and may lead to the development of an easy bioprocess for synthesis of Au NPs.     

Naked-eye sensitive detection of nuclease activity using positively-charged gold nanoparticles as colorimetric probes

Positively-charged gold nanoparticles can effectively differentiate long DNA and fragmented DNA, thus providing a simple and visual approach to colorimetric detection of nuclease activity.     

Direct electrochemical detection of kanamycin based on peroxidase-like activity of gold nanoparticles

An enzyme-free, ultrasensitive electrochemical detection of kanamycin residue was achieved based on mimetic peroxidase activity of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and target-induced replacement of the aptamer. AuNPs which were synthesized using tyrosine as a reducing and capping agent, exhibited mimetic peroxidase activity. In the presence of kanamycin-specific aptamer, however, the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) adsorbed on the surface of AuNPs via the interaction between the bases of ssDNA and AuNPs, and therefore blocked the catalytic site of AuNPs, and inhibited their peroxidase activity. While in the presence of target kanamycin, it bound with the adsorbed aptamer on AuNPs with high affinity, exposed the surface of AuNPs and recovered the peroxidase activity. Then AuNPs catalyzed the reaction between H₂O₂ and reduced thionine to produce oxidized thionine. The latter exhibited a distinct reduction peak on gold electrode in differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and could be utilized to quantify the concentration of kanamycin. Under the optimized conditions, the proposed electrochemical assay showed an extremely high sensitivity towards kanamycin, with a linear relationship between the peak current and the concentration of kanamycin in the range of 0.1–60 nM, and a detection limit of 0.06 nM. Moreover, the established approach was successfully applied in the detection of kanamycin in honey samples. Therefore, the proposed electrochemical assay has great potential in the fields of food quality control and environmental monitoring.     

An electrochemical sensor concept for the detection of bacterial virulence factors from Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

This work presents an electrochemical sensor concept for bacterial toxin detection using biomimetic lipid vesicles containing potassium ferricyanide. The toxin mediated release of redox couples from the vesicles was quantified by measuring the redox current on screen printed electrodes, and the detection limits to rhamnolipid, delta toxin and bacterial supernatants from clinical wound pathogens were examined. Overall detection limits of both redox and carboxyfluorescein containing vesicles were one order of magnitude lower than the cytotoxic dose of studied toxins to T lymphocytes.     

Aptamer-wrapped gold nanoparticles for the colorimetric detection of omethoate

Organophosphorous pesticide(OP) contamination has serious adverse effects on human health and the environment. Due to the toxicity of OPs and the threat presented by their accidental or intentional release in populated areas, the determination and monitoring of these OPs in food products and environment is of great importance. OPs are present in very small quantities and therefore, methods for their detection need to be highly sensitive and selective. Here, we aimed to develop a simple and selective aptamer-based colorimetric assay for the detection of omethoate, which is one of the commonly used OPs. The principle of the assay is that single-stranded DNA(ss DNA)-wrapped gold nanoparticles(Au NPs) are resistant to salt-induced aggregation. By employing an "artificial antibody" organophosphorous pesticide-binding aptamer(OBA) as the recognition element, aptamer-wrapped Au NPs(Au-apta) show high selectivity towards omethoate, resulting in the disconnection of aptamers from Au NPs and the aggregation of Au NPs. As there is a significant color change from the interparticle plasmon coupling during the aggregation of Au NPs, the established assay showed good linearity between 0.1 and 10 μmol/L, with a low detection limit of 0.1 μmol/L. Other OPs such as profenofos, phorate, and isocarbophos would not interfere with the detection of omethoate despite having similar structures. Thus, the colorimetric method shows potential for use in the detection of omethoate in real soil samples.     

Simple and sensitive colorimetric detection of cysteine based on ssDNA-stabilized gold nanoparticles

In this paper, we demonstrate a simple and sensitive colorimetric detection of cysteine based on the cysteine-mediated color change of ssDNA-stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Cysteine is capable of absorbing onto AuNPs surfaces via the strong interaction between its thiol group and gold. ssDNA molecules which stabilize AuNPs against salt-induced aggregation are removed away by cysteine encapsulation on the AuNPs surfaces, resulting in a characteristic color change of AuNPs from red to blue as soon as salt is added. The ratio of absorptions at 640 to 525 nm (A ₆₄₀/A ₅₂₅) is linear dependent on the cysteine concentration in the range from 0.1 to 5 μM. Furthermore, amino acids other than cysteine cannot mediate the color change under the identical conditions due to the absence of thiol groups, suggesting the selectivity of the proposed method toward cysteine. The employment of complicated protocols and sophisticated processes such as the preparation of modified AuNPs are successfully avoided in design to realize the simple and low-cost cysteine detection; and the high sensitivity and low cost of the method is favorable for practical applications. Figure In the presence of cysteine, cysteine binds to the AuNPs surface via Au-S bond, spontaneously driving ssDNA molecules away from the nanoparticles, which leads to the AuNPs aggregation under the condition of NaCl introduction, and the corresponding color change from red to blue. However, the presence of other amino acids results in no color change due to the absence of thiol groups. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Novel colorimetric assay of LSD1 activity using gold nanoparticles

We have developed a simple and sensitive strategy for colorimetric LSD1 enzyme activity assay using avidin modified gold nanoparticles. The strategy is based on the vivid color change of a gold nanoparticle solution from red to violet upon addition of a test solution of peptide-antibody treated with LSD1. Thus, the presence of LSD1 in a sample can be determined by simple visual inspection with the naked eye. In addition, a wide range of LSD1 concentrations (13 pM to 0.13 μM) were quantitatively determined by spectrophotometry, which shows the possibility of quantitative analysis of the over expression levels of LSD1 in cancer tissue samples.     

Self-assembly of core-satellite gold nanoparticles for colorimetric detection of copper ions

Molecule-coated nanoparticles are hybrid materials which can be engineered with novel properties. The molecular coating of metal nanoparticles can provide chemical functionality, enabling assembly of the nanoparticles that are important for applications, such as biosensing devices. Herein, we report a new self-assembly of core-satellite gold nanoparticles linked by a simple amino acid l-Cysteine for biosensing of Cu²⁺. The plasmonic properties of core-satellite nano-assemblies were investigated, a new red shifted absorbance peak from about 600 to 800 nm was found, with specific wavelength depending on ratios with assembly of large and small gold nanoparticles. The spectral features obtained using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) provided strong evidence for the assembly of the Cu²⁺ ions to the L-Cysteine molecules leading to the successful formation of the core-satellite Cu(l-Cysteine) complex on the gold surfaces. In addition, a linear relationship between the concentration of mediating Cu²⁺ and absorbance of self-assembled gold nanoparticles (GNPs) at 680 nm was obtained. These results strongly address the potential strategy for applying the functionalized GNPs as novel biosensing tools in trace detections of certain metal ions.     

A gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric sensing ensemble for the colorimetric detection of cyanide ions in aqueous solution

A colorimetric sensing ensemble was prepared by mixing readily prepared adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-stabilized AuNPs with Cu²⁺-phenanthroline complexes. The sensing mechanism of the ensemble was examined by UV-vis spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy. The studies showed that the Cu²⁺-phenanthroline complex was converted to free phenanthroline when exposed to cyanide anions and the free phenanthroline caused the ATP-stabilized AuNPs to aggregate, which in turn, resulted in a visible color change in the AuNP solution. The ensemble could detect cyanide ions in aqueous solution at physiological pH, either spectrophotometrically or visually, with high selectivity toward cyanide anions over a range of mono- and di-anions commonly found in biological and environmental systems. This sensing ensemble also allows a quantitative assay of the analyte in a neutral aqueous solution, down to a concentration of 10⁻⁵ M.     

纳米金比色法测定多西环素和土霉素

采用柠檬酸钠还原法合成粒径约13nm的纳米金粒子.采用紫外-可见分光光度计、荧光分光光度计研究了纳米金粒子与多西环素/土霉素分子的相互作用;通过改变缓冲溶液、纳米金粒子用量、反应时间确定了比色法测定的最优反应条件.结果表明:在弱酸溶液中,多西环素/土霉素分子中的氨基官能团(-NH_2)得到电子成为带电基团(-NH_3~+)并通过静电引力与纳米金粒子结合,使得纳米金粒子发生聚集,导致纳米金吸收光谱发生红移和展宽,颜色由酒红色变成蓝色;在盐酸-柠檬酸钠的缓冲溶液中加入2mL纳米金,反应时间为10min的条件下测得多西环素和土霉素的线性范围分别为0.06~0.66mg·L~(-1)和0.59~8.85 mg·L~(-1),检出限(3σ)分别为0.008 6、0.083 8mg·L~(-1).该方法前处理简单、灵敏、可靠,有望应用于食品分析和临床分析等领域.     

Label-free colorimetric aptasensor for sensitive detection of ochratoxin A utilizing hybridization chain reaction

The combination of high selectivity of aptamer with the peroxidase-mimicking property of DNAzyme has presented considerable opportunities for designing colorimetric aptasensor for detection of ochratoxin A (OTA). The activities of both aptamer (as biorecognition element) and DNAzyme (as signal amplification element) are blocked via base pairing in the hairpin structure. Hybridization chain reaction (HCR) between two hairpin DNAs was employed to further improve the sensitivity of this method. The presence of OTA triggers the opening of the hairpin structure and the beginning of HCR, which results in the release of many DNAzyme, and generates enhanced colorimetric signals, which is correlated to the amounts of OTA with linear range between 0.01 to 0.32 nM, and the limit of detection is 0.01 nM under optimal conditions. OTA in yellow rice wine and wheat flour samples was also detected using this method. We demonstrate that a new colorimetric method for the detection of OTA has been established, which is simple, easy to conduct, label-free, sensitive, high throughput, and cost-saving.     

Label-free electrochemical detection of DNA hybridization on gold electrode

A label-free electrochemical detection protocol for DNA hybridization is reported for the first time by using a gold electrode (AuE). The oxidation signal of guanine was monitored at +0.73 V by using square wave voltammetry (SWV) on self-assembled l-cysteine monolayer (SAM) modified AuE. The electrochemical determination of hybridization between an inosine substituted capture probe and native target DNA was also accomplished. 6-mer adenine probe was covalently attached to SAM via its amino link at 5^′ end. Then, 6-mer thymine-tag of the capture probe was hybridized with the adenine probe, thus left the rest of the oligonucleotide available for hybridization with the target. The dependence of the guanine signal upon the concentration of the target was observed. Probe modified AuE was also challenged with non-complementary and mismatch containing oligonucletides. Label-free detection of hybridization on AuE is greatly advantageous over the existing carbon and mercury electrode materials, because of its potential applicability to microfabrication techniques. Performance characteristics of the genosensor are described, along with future prospects.     

Label-free aptamer-based colorimetric detection of mercury ions in aqueous media using unmodified gold nanoparticles as colorimetric probe

We report a simple and sensitive aptamer-based colorimetric detection of mercury ions (Hg²⁺) using unmodified gold nanoparticles as colorimetric probe. It is based on the fact that bare gold nanoparticles interact differently with short single-strand DNA and double-stranded DNA. The anti-Hg²⁺ aptamer is rich in thymine (T) and readily forms T–Hg²⁺–T configuration in the presence of Hg²⁺. By measuring color change or adsorption ratio, the bare gold nanoparticles can effectively differentiate the Hg²⁺-induced conformational change of the aptamer in the presence of a given salt with high concentration. The assay shows a linear response toward Hg²⁺ concentration through a five-decade range of 1 × 10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹ to 1 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹. Even with the naked eye, we could identify micromolar Hg²⁺ concentrations within minutes. By using the spectrometric method, the detection limit was improved to the nanomolar range (0.6 nM). The assay shows excellent selectivity for Hg²⁺ over other metal cations including K⁺, Ba²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Zn²⁺, Al³⁺, and Fe³⁺. The major advantages of this Hg²⁺ assay are its water-solubility, simplicity, low cost, visual colorimetry, and high sensitivity. This method provides a potentially useful tool for the Hg²⁺ detection.     

Triarylcarbinol functionalized gold nanoparticles for the colorimetric detection of nerve agent simulants

Gold nanoparticles functionalized with a triarylcarbinol derivative have been used as colorimetric molecular probes for the naked-eye detection of the nerve agent simulants DCNP and DFP. The detection process is based on the compensation of charges at the surface of the nanoparticles which triggers their aggregation in solution with the resulting change in their plasmon band.     

Highly selective colorimetric and electrochemical Pb2+ detection based on TTF-pi-pyridine derivatives

[reaction: see text] The pyridineethenyl-substituted tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) compounds, 4-(4-pyridineethenyl)tetrathiafulvalene (1a) and 4,4'(5')-[bis-(4-pyridineethenyl)]tetrathiafulvalene (2a) together with the styryl-substituted TTF compounds, 4-styryltetrathiafulvalene (1b) and 4,4'(5')-bis-styryltetrathiafulvalene (2b), have been designed and synthesized. All these compounds exhibit strong absorption bands in the range of 370 to 550 nm, which are assigned to the intramolecular charge-transfer transition from the HOMO in TTF to the LUMO in the pyridyl or phenyl group. Compared to compounds 1b and 2b, the pyridineethenyl-substituted TTF compounds 1a and 2a show remarkable sensing and coordinating properties to Pb2+. With the addition of micromolar concentrations of Pb2+ to the solution, 1a or 2a displays dramatic changes in the UV-vis absorption spectrum, 1H NMR spectrum, and redox property.     

Highly sensitive and selective electrochemical detection of L-cysteine using nanoporous gold

Nanoporous gold (NPG) with uniform pore sizes and ligaments was prepared by using a simple dealloying method. NPG electrodes exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of CySH and the mechanism for the electrochemical reaction of CySH on NPG has been discussed. Interestingly, if the operating potential is fixed at 0.65 V, a strong current is observed and interferences by tryptophan and tyrosine are avoided. The calibration plot is linear in the concentration range from 1 μM to 400 μM (R²?=?0.994), and the quantification limit is as low as 50 nM. The NPG-modified electrode has good reproducibility, high sensitivity and selectivity, can be used to sense CySH in aqueous solution.

Label-free colorimetric detection of picomolar amounts of hydrazine using a gold nanoparticle-based assay

We report the development of a simple and rapid colorimetric detection method for hydrazine in boiler feed water using label-free aggregation-based gold nanoparticles as probe. This assay relies upon the distance-dependent optical properties of gold nanoparticles. Hydrazine could rapidly induce the aggregation of gold nanoparticles, thereby resulting in visual color change from red to blue (or purple). The concentration of hydrazine can be determined by the naked eye or by a UV–vis spectrometer. Calibration curve was linear ranging from 1.0 × 10^?11 to 1.0 × 10^?7 M of hydrazine. The present limit of detection for hydrazine was 1.0 × 10^?12 M. The method is rather simple, and the whole process including sample pretreatment takes only 15 min at room temperature. The merits (such as simplicity, rapidity, low cost and visual colorimetry) make the proposed method especially useful for on-site screening of hydrazine levels well in boiler feed water.