Front Cover: Lifetime Multiplexing with Lanthanide Complexes for Luminescence In Situ Hybridisation (Anal. Sens. 2/2022)

Abstract

The Cover shows photoluminescent sensing based on europium complexes emitting the same (red) colour but distinguishable lifetime (afterglow), which is attributed to the different coordination environment around the europium(3+) ion. These complexes were functionalised as nucleic acid sensors for in situ hybridisation, facilitating specific detection of multiple bacteria species in biofilms at once. More information can be found in the Research Article by Y. Lu and co‐workers.

A Primer on Luminescence Sensing

“…Five different Eu host complexes and ten different oxyanion guest molecule analytes were studied regarding their binding affinities and the possibility of tuning the selectivity of responsive Eu complexes for a specific analyte. Lu et al [22] . developed Eu complexes with three different ligands, which changed the lifetimes of Eu luminescence significantly.…”

“…Five different Eu host complexes and ten different oxyanion guest molecule analytes were studied regarding their binding affinities and the possibility of tuning the selectivity of responsive Eu complexes for a specific analyte. Lu et al [22] developed Eu complexes with three different ligands, which changed the lifetimes of Eu luminescence significantly. They conjugated the Eu labels to DNA to obtain specific Eu-DNA in situ hybridization probes that were applied for multiplexed luminescence lifetime imaging of biofilms for the detection and identification of multiple bacterial species.…”