Phosphorothioate DNA Stabilized Fluorescent Gold and Silver Nanoclusters

Nanomaterials

Daniel S. Weadick²  Juewen Liu¹ 

[1] Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada; E-Mail

关键词: DNA;    phosphorothioate;    luminescence;    nanoclusters;   

DOI  :  10.3390/nano5020804

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Unmodified single-stranded DNA has recently gained popularity for the templated synthesis of fluorescent noble metal nanoclusters (NCs). Bright, stable, and biocompatible clusters have been developed primarily through optimization of DNA sequence. However, DNA backbone modifications have not yet been investigated. In this work, phosphorothioate (PS) DNAs are evaluated in the synthesis of Au and Ag nanoclusters, and are employed to successfully template a novel emitter using T₁₅ DNA at neutral pH. Mechanistic studies indicate a distinct UV-dependent formation mechanism that does not occur through the previously reported thymine N3. The positions of PS substitution have been optimized. This is the first reported use of a T₁₅ template at physiological pH for AgNCs.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.