Structural and photoluminescence properties of ZrO2:Eu @ SiO2 nanophosphors as a function of annealing temperature

The synthesis, morphology and luminescence properties of two systems comprising luminescent Eu³⁺-doped zirconium oxide nanocrystals embedded in an amorphous silica matrix are reported. The two systems, prepared with the same overall wt% composition of silica (75%) and Eu_xZr_(1−x)O_(2−x/2) solid solution (25%), have been annealed in the range 135–1000 °C and subsequently functionalized with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane. Detailed X-ray diffraction analyses and transmission electron micrographs, combined with infrared spectroscopy and luminescence spectroscopy data, have been used to demonstrate the influence of annealing temperature on the: (i) nanostructure, (ii) luminescence properties and (iii) availability of superficial –OH groups for efficient surface functionalization. The optimum calcination temperature was found to be 700 °C for each series in terms of luminescence lifetime efficiency and post-functionalization efficiency with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane.     

Synthesis and characterization of titania-based monodisperse fluorescent europium nanoparticles for biolabeling

Inorganic-organic hybrid titania-based nanoparticles covalently bound to a fluorescent Eu³⁺ chelate of 4,4′-bis(1′′,1′′,1′′,2′′,2′′,3′′,3′′-heptafluoro-4′′,6′′-hexanedion-6′′-yl)chlorosulfo-o-terphenyl (BHHCT-Eu³⁺) were synthesized by a sol-gel technique. A conjugate of BHHCT with 3-[2-(2-aminoethylamino) ethylamino]propyl-trimethoxysilane (APTS) was used as a precursor for the nanoparticle preparation and monodisperse nanoparticles consisting of titania network and silica sub-network covalently bound to the Eu³⁺ chelate were prepared by the copolymerization of APTS-BHHCT conjugate, titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) and free APTS in EuCl₃ water-alcohol solution. The effects of reaction conditions on size and fluorescence lifetime of the nanoparticles were investigated. The characterizations by transmission electron microscopy and fluorometric methods indicate that the nanoparticles are near spherical and strongly fluorescent having a fluorescence quantum yield of 11.6% and a long fluorescence lifetime of ∼0.4 ms. The direct-introduced amino groups on the nanoparticle's surface by using free APTS in nanoparticle preparation facilitated the biolabeling process of the nanoparticles. The nanoparticle-labeled streptavidin (SA) was prepared and used in a sandwich-type time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TR-FIA) of human prostate-specific antigen (PSA) by using a 96-well microtiter plate as the solid phase carrier. The method gives a detection limit of 66 pg/ml for the PSA assay.     

我国化学生物学研究新进展

作为化学领域的一门新兴二级学科,化学生物学已经成为具有举足轻重作用的交叉研究领域,是推动未来生命和化学学科发展的重要动力。近年来,我国的化学生物学研究正在以前所未有的速度蓬勃发展,在基础建设、人才培养、研究经费支持等方面都有了长足的进步。尤其是以国家自然科学基金委"基于化学小分子探针的信号转导过程研究"重大研究计划为依托,我国的化学生物学工作者以小分子探针为工具,充分发挥化学与生命科学等多学科综合交叉的优势,对细胞信号转导中的重要分子事件和机理进行了深入的探索,在一些前沿方向上取得了突出的成绩,相关研究结果多次发表在顶级的国际期刊上。本文对近两年来我国化学生物学领域取得的突出进展加以归纳和介绍:(1)基于小分子化合物及探针的研究。利用有机化学手段,通过设计合成一系列多样化的小分子化合物,以这些探针为工具深入开展了细胞生理、病理活动的调控机制、细胞关键信号转导通路及重要靶标、抑制剂和标记物的发现、基于金属催化剂的活细胞生物分子激活等方面的研究;(2)以化学生物学技术为手段,着重发展了针对蛋白质、核酸和糖等生物大分子的合成、特异标记与操纵方法,用以揭示这些生物大分子所参与的生命活动的调控机制;(3)采用信号传导过程研究与靶标发现相结合,以实现"从功能基因到药物"的药物研发模式,发展了药物靶标功能确证与化合物筛选的联合研究策略;(4)以化学分析为手段,发展了在分子水平、细胞水平或活体动物水平上,获取生物学信息的新方法和新技术。这些研究成果极大地推动了我国化学生物学的进步。共引用63篇参考文献。     

Multifunctional nanoparticles possessing magnetic, long-lived fluorescence and bio-affinity properties for time-resolved fluorescence cell imaging

Multifunctional nanoparticles possessing magnetic, long-lived fluorescence and bio-affinity properties have been prepared by copolymerization of a conjugate of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane bound to a fluorescent Eu³⁺ complex, 4,4′-bis(1″,1″,1″-trifluoro- 2″,4″-butanedion-4″-yl)chlorosulfo-o-terphenyl-Eu³⁺ (APS-BTBCT-Eu³⁺), free (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APS) and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) stabilized magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (10 nm) with aqueous ammonia in ethanol. The nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), spectrofluorometry and vibrating sample magnetometry methods. The direct-introduced amino groups on the nanoparticle's surface by using free APS in nanoparticle preparation facilitated the surface modification and bioconjugation of the nanoparticles. The nanoparticle-labeled transferrin was prepared and used for staining the cultured Hela cells. A time-resolved fluorescence imaging technique that can fully eliminate the fast-decaying background noises was developed and used for the fluorescence imaging detection of the cells. A distinct image with the high ratio of signal to noise (S/N) was obtained.