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l-Histidine-DNA interaction: a strategy for the improvement of the fluorescence signal of poly(adenine) DNA-templated gold nanoclusters

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Abstract

An interesting phenomenon is described that the fluorescence signal of poly(adenine) (A) DNA-templated gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) is greatly improved in the presence of l-histidine by means of l-histidine-DNA interaction. The modified nanoclusters display strong fluorescence emission with excitation/emission maxima at 290/475 nm. The fluorescence quantum yield (QY) is improved from 1.9 to 6.5%. Fluorescence enhancement is mainly ascribed to the l-histidine-DNA interaction leading to conformational changes of the poly(A) DNA template, which offer a better microenvironment to protect AuNCs. The assay enables l-histidine to be determined with good sensitivity and a linear response that covers the 1 to 50 nM l-histidine concentration range with a 0.3 nM limit of detection. The proposed method has been applied to the determination of imidazole-containing drugs in pharmaceutical samples.

Graphical abstract

A turn-on fluorescent method has been designed for the sensitive detection of l-histidine as well as imidazole-containing drugs on the basis of the l-histidine-DNA interaction.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. U1704153), 1000 Talents Program of Zhongyuan, Plan for Young Excellent Teachers in Universities of Henan Province (No. 2017GGJS100), Nanhu Scholars Program for Young Scholars of XYNU.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute for Conservation and Utilization of Agro-bioresources in Dabie Mountains, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, 464000, People’s Republic of China

    Hai-Bo Wang, An-Li Mao, Bei-Bei Tao, Hong-Ding Zhang & Yan-Ming Liu

  2. School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha, 410114, People’s Republic of China

    Zhong-Liang Xiao

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  1. Hai-Bo Wang
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Correspondence to Hai-Bo Wang.

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Wang, HB., Mao, AL., Tao, BB. et al. l-Histidine-DNA interaction: a strategy for the improvement of the fluorescence signal of poly(adenine) DNA-templated gold nanoclusters. Microchim Acta 188, 198 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-021-04853-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-021-04853-7

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