Ultrasensitive, high temperature and ionic strength variation-tolerant Cu2+ fluorescent sensor based on reconstructed Cu2+-dependent DNAzyme/substratecomplex

A previously reported Cu2+-dependent DNAzyme/substrate complex was reconstructed in this work, which makes possible the use of an intramolecular stem–loop structure and is, therefore, a good choice for the design of Cu2+ sensors. To demonstrate this, a fluorescent sensor was designed on the basis of the reconstructed complex. In this sensor, the fluorophore/quencher pair was caged tightly in an intramolecular double-helix structure; thus, the background signal was greatly suppressed. Cu2+-dependent cleavage of the complex could cause the release of the fluorophore, leading to restoration of the fluorescence signal. High quenching efficiency provides the sensor with three important characteristics: high sensitivity, high temperature variation tolerance and high ionic strength tolerance. The proposed sensor allows specific detection of aqueous Cu2+ down to a limit of 0.6 nM, and the performance is independent of temperature and ionic strength in the range of 4–40 °C and 0.8–3.0 M NaCl, respectively. This work identifies a good choice for sensor design on the basis of DNAzymes containing triple-helix structures.

► The reported Cu2+-dependent DNAzyme/substrate complex was reconstructed.
► The reconstructed complex provides a good choice for the design of Cu2+ sensors.
► A fluorescent Cu2+ sensor was designed on the basis of the reconstructed complex.
► The fluorescent sensor allowed sensitive Cu2+ quantification with a detection limit of 0.6 nM.
► The sensor displayed high tolerance of temperature variation and ionic strength variation.