Metamaterials-Based Label-Free Nanosensor for Conformation and Affinity Biosensing

Abstract

Analysis of molecular interaction and conformational dynamics of biomolecules is of paramount importance in understanding their vital functions in complex biological systems, disease detection, and new drug development. Plasmonic biosensors based upon surface plasmon resonance and localized surface plasmon resonance have become the predominant workhorse for detecting accumulated biomass caused by molecular binding events. However, unlike surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), the plasmonic biosensors indeed are not suitable tools to interrogate vibrational signatures of conformational transitions required for biomolecules to interact. Here, we show that highly tunable plasmonic metamaterials can offer two transducing channels for parallel acquisition of optical transmission and sensitive SERS spectra at the biointerface, simultaneously probing the conformational states and binding affinity of biomolecules, e.g., G-quadruplexes, in different environments. We further demonstrate the use of the metamaterials for fingerprinting and detection of the arginine-glycine-glycine domain of nucleolin, a cancer biomarker that specifically binds to a G-quadruplex, with the picomolar sensitivity.

Review of microfluidic approaches for surface-enhanced Raman scattering

“…They further demonstrated the use of such metamaterials for the fingerprinting and detection of the arginine-glycine-glycine domain of nucleolin, a cancer biomarker that specifically binds to a G-quadruplex, with a sensitivity in the picomolar range (Fig. 4f) [86].…”

Vertical split-ring resonator based nanoplasmonic sensor

“…[2][3][4] The resonance wavelengths are determined by feature geometries of metamaterial elements and their surrounding environment, and thus can be tuned by either changing the element dimensions or the surrounding dielectric. [5][6][7] Such a property can be explored for a variety of applications, [8][9][10][11][12][13] one of which is sensing based on the following general design principle. Depending on the wavelength range of interest, a metamaterial consisting of subwavelength metal elements of specific shape and sizes is fabricated on a given substrate.…”

Engineering plasmonic nanorod arrays for colon cancer marker detection

“…Recently, we have witnessed considerable efforts for the development of plasmonics and photonics-based nanosensors for biochemical and genetic analysis, especially for screening and rapid detection of cancer markers (Anker et al 2008;Cao et al 2013;Chao and Guo 2003;de la Rica and Stevens 2012;Fan et al 2010;Hao et al 2008;Luk'yanchuk et al 2010;Miroshnichenko et al 2010;Peng et al 2013;Rodriguez-Lorenzo et al 2012;Truong et al 2011;Verellen et al 2009;Wen et al 2013;Xu et al 2011;Zhang et al 2013). These systems provide a range of benefits such as shorter analysis time, lower consumption of sample, chemical reagent and energy, lower cost, and portability.…”