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Selective fluorometry of cytochrome c using glutathione-capped CdTe quantum dots in weakly basic medium

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Abstract

Glutathione-capped CdTe quantum dots (GSH-CdTe QDs) were synthesized in aqueous medium. Their interactions with proteins, especially three heme-containing proteins, were investigated over a broad pH range. At 6.0 < pH < 8.0, the fluorescence of the GSH-CdTe QDs can be effectively quenched by cytochrome c (Cyt. c) and hemoglobin, respectively. At pH > 8.0, only cytochrome c quenched the fluorescence of the GSH-CdTe QDs, and no significant fluorescence changes were observed for hemoglobin or other proteins. Based on the distinct fluorescence response, a novel method has been developed for the selective determination of cytochrome c using GSH-CdTe QDs as the fluorescence probe at pH 9.0. Under optimum conditions, the linear range of the calibration curve is from 3.2 × 10−8 to 2.4 × 10−6 mol L−1 and the detection limit is 3.0 × 10−9 mol L−1. The method has been applied to the determination of cytochrome c in three synthetic and real samples, and satisfactory results were obtained with QDs through selecting the proper pH value.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 20875003) and the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province (No. 070416239).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anhui Key Laboratory of Chemo-Biosensing, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, 241000, People’s Republic of China

    Ming Cao, Chun Cao, Meigui Liu, Peng Wang & Changqing Zhu

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  1. Ming Cao
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  2. Chun Cao
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  3. Meigui Liu
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  4. Peng Wang
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  5. Changqing Zhu
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Correspondence to Changqing Zhu.

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Cao, M., Cao, C., Liu, M. et al. Selective fluorometry of cytochrome c using glutathione-capped CdTe quantum dots in weakly basic medium. Microchim Acta 165, 341–346 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-009-0140-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-009-0140-8

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