Search

we introduced a fast, specific, and sensitive sensing probe to detect Toxoplasma gondii DNA based on mechanism of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and a multifunctional and magnetic-fluorescent CdTe/Ni quantum dots (mQDs) was prepared as energy donor, and BHQ2 was used as energy acceptor, respectively. CdTe/Ni mQDs were synthesized with a more simple method using Ni nanoparticles as core material and CdTe as shell material. The sensing probe was fabricated through labeling a stem-loop Toxoplasma gondii DNA oligonucleotide with CdTe/Ni mQDs at the 5′ end and BHQ2 at 3′ end, respectively, and the resulting sensing probe can be conveniently isolated and purified with a common magnet. Properties of mQDs and sensing probe were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and fluorescence spectrum (FS) methods. The TEM data demonstrated that the size of Ni nanoparticles was estimated to be ~10nm, and size of CdTe/Ni is 15nm. XRD data showed similar spectrum of CdTe and CdTe/Ni, intensity of Ni (111) typical diffraction peak was detected, which inferred the formation of CdTe on surface of Ni core. An obvious fluorescence recovery (FR) was observed when the complete complimentary target Toxoplasma gondii DNA was introduced comparing with the target DNA with one-basepair-mismatch, this result revealed the sensing probe has high sensitivity and specificity. The current sensing probe will has great potential applications in the life science and gene diagnostics.

A novel CdTe/Ni QDs which combined both magnetism and fluorescence was successfully synthesized and its optical properties were investigated. Ni magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized and used as magnetic core, CdTe quantum dots (QDs) were applied as fluorescent shell material, the qualified magnetic CdTe/Ni quantum dots (mQDs) were achieved via layer-by-layer process using 1,6-hexylenediamime as linker, surface charge types of MNPs and mQDs were confirmed with a delsa nano beckman coulter. Morphology of the prepared Ni MNPs and CdTe/Ni mQDs was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and optical properties were investigated with fluorescence spectrum (FS). Qualified CdTe/Ni mQDs with high fluorescence and narrow maximum emission peak width were obtained under the optimum conditions. Surface zeta-potential of CdTe QDs and Ni MNPs were estimated to be -36.2 and 27.97mV, respectively. TEM data indicated that ca 20nm of Ni MNPs and ca 25nm of CdTe/Ni mQDs were prepared, respectively; the size-increasing indicated the formation of CdTe shell on the Ni MNPs core. Narrow half peak width of emission peak was detected and calculated to be about 50nm via FS. High fluorescence intensity of CdTe/Ni mQDs was determined and brilliant yellow solution was observed when excited under UV360nm. The synthesized CdTe/Ni mQDs showed excellent magnetic property, and can be magnetically concentrated with a common magnet. The obtained data indicated that the prepared bi-functional CdTe/Ni mQDs possess excellent magnetic and fluorescent properties, and it can be used as a energy donor in DNA sensing based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET).