2 research outputs found
Neurotransmitter Detection Using Corona Phase Molecular Recognition on Fluorescent Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Sensors
Temporal and spatial
changes in neurotransmitter concentrations
are central to information processing in neural networks. Therefore,
biosensors for neurotransmitters are essential tools for neuroscience.
In this work, we applied a new technique, corona phase molecular recognition
(CoPhMoRe), to identify adsorbed polymer phases on fluorescent single-walled
carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) that allow for the selective detection of
specific neurotransmitters, including dopamine. We functionalized
and suspended SWCNTs with a library of different polymers (<i>n</i> = 30) containing phospholipids, nucleic acids, and amphiphilic
polymers to study how neurotransmitters modulate the resulting band
gap, near-infrared (nIR) fluorescence of the SWCNT. We identified
several corona phases that enable the selective detection of neurotransmitters.
Catecholamines such as dopamine increased the fluorescence of specific
single-stranded DNA- and RNA-wrapped SWCNTs by 58–80% upon
addition of 100 μM dopamine depending on the SWCNT chirality
(<i>n</i>,<i>m</i>). In solution, the limit of
detection was 11 nM [<i>K</i><sub>d</sub> = 433 nM for (GT)<sub>15</sub> DNA-wrapped SWCNTs]. Mechanistic studies revealed that this
turn-on response is due to an increase in fluorescence quantum yield
and not covalent modification of the SWCNT or scavenging of reactive
oxygen species. When immobilized on a surface, the fluorescence intensity
of a single DNA- or RNA-wrapped SWCNT is enhanced by a factor of up
to 5.39 ± 1.44, whereby fluorescence signals are reversible.
Our findings indicate that certain DNA/RNA coronae act as conformational
switches on SWCNTs, which reversibly modulate the SWCNT fluorescence.
These findings suggest that our polymer–SWCNT constructs can
act as fluorescent neurotransmitter sensors in the tissue-compatible
nIR optical window, which may find applications in neuroscience
Neurotransmitter Detection Using Corona Phase Molecular Recognition on Fluorescent Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Sensors
Temporal and spatial
changes in neurotransmitter concentrations
are central to information processing in neural networks. Therefore,
biosensors for neurotransmitters are essential tools for neuroscience.
In this work, we applied a new technique, corona phase molecular recognition
(CoPhMoRe), to identify adsorbed polymer phases on fluorescent single-walled
carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) that allow for the selective detection of
specific neurotransmitters, including dopamine. We functionalized
and suspended SWCNTs with a library of different polymers (<i>n</i> = 30) containing phospholipids, nucleic acids, and amphiphilic
polymers to study how neurotransmitters modulate the resulting band
gap, near-infrared (nIR) fluorescence of the SWCNT. We identified
several corona phases that enable the selective detection of neurotransmitters.
Catecholamines such as dopamine increased the fluorescence of specific
single-stranded DNA- and RNA-wrapped SWCNTs by 58–80% upon
addition of 100 μM dopamine depending on the SWCNT chirality
(<i>n</i>,<i>m</i>). In solution, the limit of
detection was 11 nM [<i>K</i><sub>d</sub> = 433 nM for (GT)<sub>15</sub> DNA-wrapped SWCNTs]. Mechanistic studies revealed that this
turn-on response is due to an increase in fluorescence quantum yield
and not covalent modification of the SWCNT or scavenging of reactive
oxygen species. When immobilized on a surface, the fluorescence intensity
of a single DNA- or RNA-wrapped SWCNT is enhanced by a factor of up
to 5.39 ± 1.44, whereby fluorescence signals are reversible.
Our findings indicate that certain DNA/RNA coronae act as conformational
switches on SWCNTs, which reversibly modulate the SWCNT fluorescence.
These findings suggest that our polymer–SWCNT constructs can
act as fluorescent neurotransmitter sensors in the tissue-compatible
nIR optical window, which may find applications in neuroscience