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Signal amplification by strand displacement in a carbon dot based fluorometric assay for ATP

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Abstract

A fluorometric ATP assay is described that makes use of carbon dots and graphene oxide along with toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction. In the absence of target, the fluorescence of carbon dots (with excitation/emission maxima at 360/447 nm) is strong and in the “on” state, because the signal probe hybridizes with the aptamer strand and cannot combine with graphene oxide. In the presence of ATP, it will bind to the aptamer and induce a strand displacement reaction. Consequently, the signal probe is released, the sensing strategy will change into the “off” state with the addition of graphene oxide. This aptasensor exhibits selective and sensitive response to ATP and has a 3.3 nM detection limit.

Schematic of signal amplification by strand displacement in a carbon dot based fluorometric assay for ATP. This strategy exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity with a detection limit as low as 3.3 nM.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 81773681, 81572081, 81273480, and 21175070).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China

    Jieping Luo, Xin Shen, Bingzhi Li, Xiaoyun Li & Xuemin Zhou

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  1. Jieping Luo
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  2. Xin Shen
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  3. Bingzhi Li
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  4. Xiaoyun Li
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  5. Xuemin Zhou
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Correspondence to Xuemin Zhou.

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Luo, J., Shen, X., Li, B. et al. Signal amplification by strand displacement in a carbon dot based fluorometric assay for ATP. Microchim Acta 185, 392 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-018-2931-2

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