Aggregation-Induced Electrochemiluminescence of Copper Nanoclusters by Regulating Valence State Ratio of Cu(I)/Cu(0) for Ultrasensitive Detection of MicroRNA

Abstract

In this work, Cu nanoclusters (Cu NCs) with strong aggregation-induced electrochemiluminescence (AIECL) as emitters were used to construct an ECL biosensor for ultrasensitive detection of microRNA-141 (miR-141). Impressively, the ECL signals enhanced with the increased content of Cu(I) in the aggregative Cu NCs. When the ratio of Cu(I)/Cu(0) in aggregative Cu NCs was 3.2, Cu NCs aggregates showed the highest ECL intensity, in which Cu(I) could enhance the cuprophilic Cu(I)···Cu(I) interaction to form rod-shaped aggregates for restricting nonradiative transitions to obviously improve the ECL response. As a result, the ECL intensity of the aggregative Cu NCs was 3.5 times higher than that of the monodispersed Cu NCs. With the aid of the cascade strand displacement amplification (SDA) strategy, an outstanding ECL biosensor was developed to achieve the ultrasensitive detection of miR-141, whose linear range varied from 10 aM to 1 nM with a detection limit of 1.2 aM. This approach opened an avenue to prepare non-noble metal nanomaterials as robust ECL emitters and provided a new idea for detection of biomolecules for diagnosis of disease.

Bifunctional TiO2 Nanoflower-Induced H4TCBPE Aggregation Enhanced Electrochemiluminescence for an Ultrasensitive Assay of Organophosphorus

“…14,15 With the unique advantages such as low background, superior sensitivity, and great controllability, ECL was considered a promising and potent technique for Mal analysis. 16 Selecting the appropriate luminophores to synthesize ideal ECL emitters is essential for the construction of high-efficiency ECL sensors. Ruthenium complex (Ru(bpy) 3 2+ ), luminol, and their derivatives were chosen as the favorite ECL emitters owing to the excellent chemical stability and high ECL efficiency.…”

“…Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a novel detection method with an ECL signal originating from electron transfer between electroactive substances on the electrode surface. , With the unique advantages such as low background, superior sensitivity, and great controllability, ECL was considered a promising and potent technique for Mal analysis . Selecting the appropriate luminophores to synthesize ideal ECL emitters is essential for the construction of high-efficiency ECL sensors.…”

Identification and Quantification of 5-Methylcytosine and 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine on Random DNA Sequences by a Nanoconfined Electrochemiluminescence Platform

“…Thus, we combined the TET-mediated conversion strategy with the RPA-assisted CRISPR amplification strategy for convenient identification of 5mC and 5hmC. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) has the characteristics of low background, high sensitivity, and great controllability, 13,14 which provides a favorable platform for methylation detection, while related application has been less explored so far. As a promising candidate for ECL emitters, carbon dots (CDs) exhibit facile synthesis, easy functionalization, and environmental friendliness, which have drawn much attention in recent years.…”

Supramolecular Anchored Copper Nanoclusters for a Multipath Electrochemiluminescence Probe

“…Utilizing small-molecule ligands to stabilize Cu NCs can effectively diminish the thickness of the insulating layer present on their surface, thereby enhancing the efficiency of carrier transport and, ultimately, augmenting their ECL performance. 18,19 Regrettably, Cu NCs protected by smallmolecule ligands generally suffer from inadequate solution stability and a propensity to undergo aggregation and stacking phenomena. To obtain stable, well-dispersed, and high ECL efficiency Cu NCs still remains a challenge in the field of ECL.…”

“…However, due to the high reactivity and low standard reduction potential of Cu, achieving stable Cu NCs is an exceptionally difficult task. , Applying ligands to coat Cu NCs is a reliable approach to enhance their stability, but most ligands protecting Cu NCs are limited to biomolecules, such as DNA , and proteins , for this purpose. Utilizing small-molecule ligands to stabilize Cu NCs can effectively diminish the thickness of the insulating layer present on their surface, thereby enhancing the efficiency of carrier transport and, ultimately, augmenting their ECL performance. , Regrettably, Cu NCs protected by small-molecule ligands generally suffer from inadequate solution stability and a propensity to undergo aggregation and stacking phenomena. To obtain stable, well-dispersed, and high ECL efficiency Cu NCs still remains a challenge in the field of ECL. − 4,4′-Thiobisbenzenethiol, a small molecule with two thiol groups, is expected to show satisfactory results in protecting Cu NCs by significantly reducing the formation of unsaturated bonds.…”