A Reaction-Based Ratiometric Bioluminescent Platform for Point-of-Care and Quantitative Detection Using a Smartphone

Anal Chem. 2023 May 9;95(18):7142-7149. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c05422. Epub 2023 Apr 25.

Abstract

Fluorescent probes have emerged as powerful tools for the detection of different analytes by virtue of structural tenability. However, the requirement of an excitation source largely hinders their applicability in point-of-care detection, as well as causing autofluorescence interference in complex samples. Herein, based on bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET), we developed a reaction-based ratiometric bioluminescent platform, which allows the excitation-free detection of analytes. The platform has a modular design consisting of a NanoLuc-HaloTag fusion as an energy donor, to which a synthetic fluorescent probe is bioorthogonally labeled as recognition moiety and energy acceptor. Once activated by the target, the fluorescent probe can be excited by NanoLuc to generate a remarkable BRET signal, resulting in obvious color changes of luminescence, which can be easily recorded and quantitatively analyzed by a smartphone. As a proof of concept, a fluorescent probe for HOCl was synthesized to construct the bioluminescent system. Results demonstrated the system showed a constant blue/red emission ratio which is independent to the signal intensity, allowing the quantification of HOCl concentration with high sensitivity (limit of detection (LOD) = 13 nM) and accuracy. Given the universality, this reaction-based bioluminescent platform holds great potential for point-of-care and quantitative detection of reactive species.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Energy Transfer
  • Fluorescent Dyes* / chemistry
  • Immunologic Tests
  • Point-of-Care Systems
  • Smartphone*

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes