Nitrotyrosine is linked to diseases, including neurodegeneration, and cancer, making its detection have diagnostic value. Nanomaterials have a wide range of applications in sensors, catalysis, environmental monitoring, and are valuable sensing materials. Carbon dots (CDs), one type of nanomaterials, exhibit low toxicity and desirable photophysical properties for biosensing applications. The photophysical properties of dual-fluorescing carbon dots were tested using UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. The nitrotyrosine amino acid titrations were carried out and fluorescence at 460 nm and 680 nm was monitored (excitation wavelength at 420 nm). The fluorescent assay was highly selective for nitrotyrosine. The fluorescence intensity was quenched by nitrotyrosine, even in the presence of tyrosine and phosphotyrosine. In the 0.005-0.304 mM concentration range of nitrotyrosine, significant fluorescence quenching (about 55%) was observed. Interference studies indicate that the CDs are ideally suited for detection of nTyr even in the presence of other biologically relevant molecules like amino acids, nucleosides and metal ions. The detection of nitrotyrosine using CDs was tested in biological matrices including diluted artificial saliva, bovine serum albumin and equine serum and the results show that the fluorescence CD-based assay may be used in complex mixtures to mimic the biological fluids. In conclusion, data indicate that water soluble carbon dots are ideal for biosensing applications and for mechanistic studies of their interactions with biomolecules towards functional materials.

Using fluorescence carbon dots for detection of tyrosine analogues

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ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.