Time-resolved and steady-state FRET spectroscopy on commercial biocompatible quantum dots

D. Wegner; D. Geißler; S. Stufler; H.-G. Löhmannsröben; N. Hildebrandt

doi:10.1117/12.874760

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11 February 2011 Time-resolved and steady-state FRET spectroscopy on commercial biocompatible quantum dots

D. Wegner, D. Geißler, S. Stufler, H.-G. Löhmannsröben, N. Hildebrandt

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Proceedings Volume 7909, Colloidal Quantum Dots/Nanocrystals for Biomedical Applications VI; 79090D (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.874760
Event: SPIE BiOS, 2011, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots - QDs) possess unique photophysical properties that make them highly interesting for many biochemical applications. Besides their common use as fluorophores in conventional spectroscopy and microscopy, QDs are well-suited for studying Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). Size-dependent broadband absorption and narrow emission bands offer several advantages for the use of QDs both as FRET donors and acceptors. QD-based FRET pairs can be efficiently used as biological and chemical sensors for highly sensitive multiplexed detection. In this contribution we present the use of several commercially available QDs (Qdot® Nanocrystals - Invitrogen) as FRET donors in combination with commercial organic dyes as FRET acceptors. In order to investigate the FRET process within our donor-acceptor pairs, we used biotinylated QDs and streptavidin-labeled dyes. The well-known biotinstreptavidin molecular recognition enables effective FRET from QDs to dye molecules and provides defined distances between donor and acceptor. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements were performed in order to investigate QD-to-dye FRET. Despite a thick polymer shell around the QDs, our results demonstrate the potential of these QDs as efficient donors both for steady-state and time-resolved FRET applications in nano-biotechnology.

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D. Wegner, D. Geißler, S. Stufler, H.-G. Löhmannsröben, and N. Hildebrandt "Time-resolved and steady-state FRET spectroscopy on commercial biocompatible quantum dots", Proc. SPIE 7909, Colloidal Quantum Dots/Nanocrystals for Biomedical Applications VI, 79090D (11 February 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.874760

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