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Hairpin oligosensor using SiQDs: Förster resonance energy transfer study and application for miRNA-21 detection

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Abstract

MicroRNAs are known to be tumor suppressors and promoters and can be used as cancer markers. In this work, a novel oligosensor was designed using Si quantum dots (SiQDs) for the detection of miRNAs. Five-nanometer SiQDs were synthesized, with a band gap of 2.8 eV, fluorescence lifetime of 4.56 μs (τ1/2 = 3.26 μs), quantum yield of 25%, fluorescence rate constant of 6.25 × 104, and non-radiative rate constant of 1.60 × 105 s−1. They showed excellent water dispersibility, good stability (with 95% confidence for 6-month storage) without photobleaching, and high biocompatibility, with an IC50 value of 292.2 μg/L. The SiQDs and Black Hole Quencher-1 (BHQ1) were conjugated to the 5′ and 3′ terminals of an oligomer, respectively. The resulting hairpin molecular beacon showed resonance energy transfer efficiency of 63%. A distance of 0.91 R (Förster distance) between SiQD and BHQ1 was obtained. In the presence of a stoichiometric amount of the complementary oligonucleotide (ΔGhybridization = −35.09 kcal mol−1), 98% of the fluorescence was recovered due to loop opening of the hairpin structure. The probe showed good selectivity toward miRNA-21, with a limit of detection of 14.9 fM. The oligosensor recoveries of miRNA-21 spiked in human serum and urine were 94–98% and 93–108%, respectively.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Iran National Science Foundation-Science Deputy of Presidency (Grant No. 94019386) for financial support.

Funding

Mohamad Mahani received Grant No. 94019386 from the Iran National Science Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Graduate University of Advanced Technology, Kerman, Iran

    Mohamad Mahani

  2. Department of Chemistry, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

    Faeze Khakbaz

  3. State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Department of Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Huangxian Ju

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Correspondence to Mohamad Mahani.

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Mahani, M., Khakbaz, F. & Ju, H. Hairpin oligosensor using SiQDs: Förster resonance energy transfer study and application for miRNA-21 detection. Anal Bioanal Chem 414, 2505–2512 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-022-03891-1

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