Issue 4, 2025

Development of a novel fluorescence light-up Pb2+ sensor using a G-quadruplex complex with modified thioflavin T

Abstract

Here, we developed a novel, cost-effective fluorescence light-up biosensor for Pb2+ detection based on a label-free G-quadruplex combined with modified thioflavin T (ThT) derivatives. Among the various G-quadruplex sequences tested, only T2 exhibited fluorescence light-up properties upon interacting with the modified ThT derivatives in the presence of Pb2+. To enhance the Pb2+ sensing system, we also compared modified ThT derivatives, including the newly synthesized propyl-substituted ThT (ThT-P) and butyl-substituted ThT (ThT-B). Among the tested derivatives, ethyl-substituted ThT (ThT-E) exhibited the most significant fluorescence enhancement upon the addition of Pb2+. Our designed sensor demonstrated high selectivity and sensitivity for Pb2+, enabling practical applications, as validated through the successful detection of Pb2+ in spiked environmental water samples. We envision that our new strategy could be further developed into a versatile platform for the detection of a broad range of metal ions.

Graphical abstract: Development of a novel fluorescence light-up Pb2+ sensor using a G-quadruplex complex with modified thioflavin T

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
15 Oct 2024
Accepted
13 Jan 2025
First published
13 Jan 2025

Analyst, 2025,150, 712-717

Development of a novel fluorescence light-up Pb2+ sensor using a G-quadruplex complex with modified thioflavin T

D. Kim, D. Y. Kim and J. H. Han, Analyst, 2025, 150, 712 DOI: 10.1039/D4AN01340A

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