Aptamer Induced Multicolored AuNCs-WS₂ “Turn on” FRET Nano Platform for Dual-Color Simultaneous Detection of AflatoxinB₁ and Zearalenone

Abstract

Mycotoxins posit serious threats to human and animal health, and numerous efforts have been performed to detect the multiple toxins by a single diagnostic approach. To best of our knowledge, for the first time, we synthesized an aptamer induced “turn on” fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensor using dual-color gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), l-proline, and BSA synthesized AuNCs (Lp-AuNCs and BSA-AuNCs), with WS2 nanosheet for simultaneous recognition of aflatoxinB1 (AFB1) and zearalenone (ZEN) by single excitation. Here, AFB1 aptamer stabilized blue-emitting AuNCs (AFB1-apt-Lp-AuNCs) (at 442 nm) and ZEN aptamer functionalized with red-colored AuNCs (ZEN-apt-BSA-AuNCs) (at 650 nm) were employed as an energy donor and WS2 nanosheet as a fluorescence quencher. With the addition of AFB1 and ZEN, the change in fluorescence intensity (F.I) was recorded at 442 and 650 nm and can be used for simultaneous recognition with a detection limit of 0.34 pg mL–1 (R 2 = 0.9931) and 0.53 pg mL–1 (R 2 = 0.9934), respectively. Most importantly, the semiquantitative determination of AFB1 and ZEN can also be realized through photovisualization. The current approach paves a new way to develop sensitive, selective, and convenient metal nanocluster-based fluorescent “switch-on” probes with potential applications in multipurpose biosensing.

Carbon Dots Fluorescence-Based Colorimetric Sensor for Sensitive Detection of Aluminum Ions with a Smartphone

“…To eliminate these effects, one solution is to develop a ratiometric sensor using two different-colored fluorescence probes. Two-color fluorescence probes including quantum dots [14,15], quantum dots-conventional fluorescent dyes [16], metal nanoclusters [17], gold nanoclusters-carbon dots [18], have been confirmed in the ratiometric strategy. However, these devices normally require the adjustment of the fluorescence intensity ratio of the two different-colored fluorescence probes, increasing the complexity of the technique.…”

Luminescent metal nanoclusters: Biosensing strategies and bioimaging applications

“…Commonly used acceptors include organic dyes, graphene oxide (GO), MnO 2 , WS 2 , CoOOH/FeOOH, metal NPs, polydopamine, etc. [79–81,109–113] For example, Liu et al. designed a hybrid system consisting of DNA‐Ag NCs as the donor and GO as the acceptor for the selective detection of DNA, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and thrombin (Figure 5A).…”

Recent advances in immunoassays and biosensors for mycotoxins detection in feedstuffs and foods

“…A FRET-based platform was developed by WS 2 nanosheet and dual-color gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) for simultaneous detection of AFB1 and ZEN in maize [ 84 ]. Gold nanoclusters and WS 2 were connected by AFB1/ZEN-aptamer-BSA resulting in fluorescent quenching of AuNCs.…”