A fluorometric biosensor based on functional Au/Ag nanoclusters for real-time monitoring of tyrosinase activity

Due to the vital role of tyrosinase in melanin biosynthesis and its function as an important biomarker for melanoma cancer, highly sensitive detection of its activity using biocompatible materials is in urgent demand. Herein we report a convenient and highly sensitive fluorometric biosensor for tyrosinase activity detection based on biocompatible dopamine-functionalized Au/Ag nanoclusters (Dopa-Au/Ag NCs). Dopamine with redox property was covalently linked to Au/Ag NCs surface and formed a Dopa-Au/Ag NCs bioconjugate with strong blue fluorescence. Dopamine is readily oxidized by molecular oxygen under the catalysis of tyrosinase. After dopamine is transformed to o-dopaquinone, an intraparticle photoinduced election transfer (PET) process occurs between Au/Ag NCs and o-dopaquinone moiety, leading to the fluorescence quenching of the Dopa-Au/Ag NCs bioconjugate. Thus, this biosensor was utilized for sensitive and selective detection of tyrosinase in terms of the relationship between fluorescence quenching efficiency and tyrosinase activity. This study discovers that Au/Ag NCs and dopaquinone can serve as a good electron acceptor and donor pair which results in an efficient intraparticle photoinduced electron transfer process, and also provides another alternative way for tyrosinase activity monitoring.