Droplet-Based Measurements of DNA-Templated Nanoclusters—Towards Point-of-Care Applications
In this work, we investigate the fundamental usability of fluorescent DNA-templated silver nanoclusters (DNA-AgNCs) as sensors for Point-of Care-Testing (PoCT) applications. We developed a microfluidic platform for the generation of droplets containing DNA-AgNCs in defined, different chemical enviro...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Biosensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6374/15/7/417 |
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| author | Jonas Kluitmann Stefano Di Fiore Greta Nölke Klaus Stefan Drese |
| author_facet | Jonas Kluitmann Stefano Di Fiore Greta Nölke Klaus Stefan Drese |
| author_sort | Jonas Kluitmann |
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| description | In this work, we investigate the fundamental usability of fluorescent DNA-templated silver nanoclusters (DNA-AgNCs) as sensors for Point-of Care-Testing (PoCT) applications. We developed a microfluidic platform for the generation of droplets containing DNA-AgNCs in defined, different chemical environments. The droplets are read out fluorescently at two different emission wavelengths. For the pre-evaluation for the usage of biologically relevant matrices with DNA-AgNCs, the response of two different DNA-AgNCs to a variation in pH and sodium chloride concentration was acquired. Our compact and simple setup can detect DNA-AgNCs well below 100 nM and allows the characterization of the fluorescence response of DNA-based biohybrid nanosensors to changes in the chemical environment within short measurement times. The model DNA-AgNCs remain fluorescent throughout the physiologically relevant chloride concentrations and up to 150 mM. Upon shifts in pH, the DNA-AgNCs showed a complex fluorescence intensity response. The model DNA-AgNCs differ strongly in their response characteristics to the applied changes in their environments. With our work, we show the feasibility of the use of DNA-AgNCs as sensors in a simple microfluidic setup that can be used as a building block for PoCT applications while highlighting challenges in their adaption for use with biologically relevant matrices. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e6bd72fc2443438f85421d03b4557251 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2079-6374 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biosensors |
| spelling | doaj-art-e6bd72fc2443438f85421d03b45572512025-08-20T03:58:25ZengMDPI AGBiosensors2079-63742025-07-0115741710.3390/bios15070417Droplet-Based Measurements of DNA-Templated Nanoclusters—Towards Point-of-Care ApplicationsJonas Kluitmann0Stefano Di Fiore1Greta Nölke2Klaus Stefan Drese3Institute of Sensor and Actuator Technology, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Am Hofbräuhaus 1b, 96450 Coburg, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstr. 6, 52074 Aachen, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstr. 6, 52074 Aachen, GermanyInstitute of Sensor and Actuator Technology, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Am Hofbräuhaus 1b, 96450 Coburg, GermanyIn this work, we investigate the fundamental usability of fluorescent DNA-templated silver nanoclusters (DNA-AgNCs) as sensors for Point-of Care-Testing (PoCT) applications. We developed a microfluidic platform for the generation of droplets containing DNA-AgNCs in defined, different chemical environments. The droplets are read out fluorescently at two different emission wavelengths. For the pre-evaluation for the usage of biologically relevant matrices with DNA-AgNCs, the response of two different DNA-AgNCs to a variation in pH and sodium chloride concentration was acquired. Our compact and simple setup can detect DNA-AgNCs well below 100 nM and allows the characterization of the fluorescence response of DNA-based biohybrid nanosensors to changes in the chemical environment within short measurement times. The model DNA-AgNCs remain fluorescent throughout the physiologically relevant chloride concentrations and up to 150 mM. Upon shifts in pH, the DNA-AgNCs showed a complex fluorescence intensity response. The model DNA-AgNCs differ strongly in their response characteristics to the applied changes in their environments. With our work, we show the feasibility of the use of DNA-AgNCs as sensors in a simple microfluidic setup that can be used as a building block for PoCT applications while highlighting challenges in their adaption for use with biologically relevant matrices.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6374/15/7/417nanoclustersmicrofluidicsfluorescencesegmented flowPoint-of-CareTestingDNA-templated silver nanoclusters |
| spellingShingle | Jonas Kluitmann Stefano Di Fiore Greta Nölke Klaus Stefan Drese Droplet-Based Measurements of DNA-Templated Nanoclusters—Towards Point-of-Care Applications Biosensors nanoclusters microfluidics fluorescence segmented flow Point-of-CareTesting DNA-templated silver nanoclusters |
| title | Droplet-Based Measurements of DNA-Templated Nanoclusters—Towards Point-of-Care Applications |
| title_full | Droplet-Based Measurements of DNA-Templated Nanoclusters—Towards Point-of-Care Applications |
| title_fullStr | Droplet-Based Measurements of DNA-Templated Nanoclusters—Towards Point-of-Care Applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Droplet-Based Measurements of DNA-Templated Nanoclusters—Towards Point-of-Care Applications |
| title_short | Droplet-Based Measurements of DNA-Templated Nanoclusters—Towards Point-of-Care Applications |
| title_sort | droplet based measurements of dna templated nanoclusters towards point of care applications |
| topic | nanoclusters microfluidics fluorescence segmented flow Point-of-CareTesting DNA-templated silver nanoclusters |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6374/15/7/417 |
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