Selective interactions of concanavalin A at lipid membranes on the surface of an optical fiber

An optical configuration was developed for sampling fluorescence coupled into an optical fiber from evanescent wave excitation of fluorescent materials at a lipid membrane on a quartz fiber surface. Selective interactions of pyrene-labelled concanavalin A located on a phosphatidyl choline-cholesterol lipid membrane with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled dextran in bulk aqueous solution were monitored by the intrinsic fluorescence sensing configuration. Monosialoganglioside, G(M1), was employed as a receptor in a phospholipid membrane on an optical fiber for selective measurement of pyrene-labelled concanavalin A in solution. Quantitative measurement was hindered by non-selective adsorption of cancanavalin A, but the potential for use of a lipid membrane in a fluorometric biosensor was established.