Novel high-sensitive fluorescent detection of deoxyribonuclease I based on DNA-templated gold/silver nanoclusters

• Highly fluorescent DNA-Au/Ag NCs were synthesized via a one-pot approach.
• Fluorescence quenching of DNA-Au/Ag NCs by DNase I is based on enzymolysis of DNA.
• A simple, sensitive and cost-effective quantification of DNase I was developed.
• This strategy may broaden potential ways to assay DNase I in actual samples.

Herein, fluorescent DNA-templated gold/silver nanoclusters (DNA-Au/Ag NCs) are presented as a novel probe for sensitive detection of deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I). The procedure is based on quenching fluorescence of DNA-Au/Ag NCs by DNase I digestion of the DNA (5′-CCCTTAATCCCC-3′) template. This decrease in fluorescence intensity permitted sensitive detection of DNase I in a linear range of 0.013–60 μg mL−1, with a detection limit of 3 ng mL−1 at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. Furthermore, the practicality of this probe for detection of DNase I in human serum and saliva samples was validated, demonstrating its advantages of simplicity, selectivity, sensitivity and low cost. Importantly, satisfactory agreement between results obtained by the fluorescent method described here and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) further confirmed the reliability and accuracy of this approach.

A successful case as to the effort toward the development of simple, selective, sensitive and cost-effective quantification of DNase I depending on DNase I enzymolysis of the DNA-Au/Ag NCs templates, possibly leading to aggregation of the Au/Ag NCs.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide