Fungus-mediated biological synthesis of gold nanoparticles: potential in detection of liver cancer.

BACKGROUND: Nanomaterials are considered to be the pre-eminent component of the rapidly advancing field of nanotechnology. However, developments in the biologically inspired synthesis of nanoparticles are still in their infancy and consequently attracting the attention of material scientists throughout the world. Keeping in mind the fact that microorganism-assisted synthesis of nanoparticles is a safe and economically viable prospect, in the current study we report Candida albicans-mediated biological synthesis of gold nanoparticles. METHODS AND RESULTS: Transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and various spectrophotometric analyses were performed to characterize the gold nanoparticles. The morphology of the synthesized gold particles depended on the abundance of C. albicans cytosolic extract. Transmission electron microscopy, nanophox particle analysis, and atomic force microscopy revealed the size of spherical gold nanoparticles to be in the range of 20-40 nm and nonspherical gold particles were found to be 60-80 nm. We also evaluated the potential of biogenic gold nanoparticles to probe liver cancer cells by conjugating them with liver cancer cell surface-specific antibodies. The antibody-conjugated gold particles were found to bind specifically to the surface antigens of the cancer cells. CONCLUSION: The antibody-conjugated gold particles synthesized in this study could successfully differentiate normal cell populations from cancerous cells.

Fluoroimmunoassay based on suppression of fluorescence self-quenching for ultra-sensitive detection of herbicide diuron.

A highly sensitive heterogeneous fluoroimmunoassay has been developed for monitoring phenylurea herbicide diuron on the basis of suppression of fluorescence self-quenching. Specific antibody against diuron was produced and labeled with rhodamine isothiocyanate at different molar ratios and used as tracer in the developed immunoassay. The analytical sensitivity of immunoassay was enhanced by changing the microenvironment of fluorescence label with glycerin solution after the completion of immunoassay. Enhancer treatment on developed immunoassay showed improvement of fluorescence signal intensity by approximately 4-folds with higher stability compared with the signal determined without enhancer treatment of the wells. The immunoassay has a detection limit of 0.1 ng mL(-1) with good signal precision (approximately 2%) in the optimum working concentration range between 0.01 and 100 ng mL(-1) of diuron. In addition, the use of enhancer improved the stability of fluorescence signal by suppression of self-quenching of fluorescence signal. The proposed method has been applied satisfactorily for the ultra-sensitive detection of herbicide diuron in samples.

Molecular mechanism of polyethylene glycol mediated stabilization of protein.

The effect of different molar ratios of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the conformational stability of protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), was studied. The binding of PEG with BSA was observed by fluorescence spectroscopy by measuring the fluorescence intensity after displacement of PEG with chromophore ANS and had further been confirmed by measuring the intrinsic fluorescence of tryptophan residues of BSA. Co-lyophilization of BSA with PEG at optimum BSA:PEG molar ratio led to the formation of the stable protein particles. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy study suggested that a conformational change had occurred in the protein after PEG interaction and demonstrated the highest stability of protein at the optimum BSA:PEG molar ratio of 1:0.75. Additional differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) study suggested strong binding of PEG to protein leading to thermal stability at optimum molar ratio. Molecular mechanism operating behind the polyethylene glycol (PEG) mediated stabilization of the protein suggested that strong physical adsorption of PEG on the hydrophobic core of the protein (BSA) along with surface adsorption led to the stability of protein.

Strip-based immunochromatographic assay using specific egg yolk antibodies for rapid detection of morphine in urine samples.

Using specific egg yolk antibodies (IgY), a strip-based immunochromatographic assay was developed for rapid detection of morphine in urine samples. IgY type antibody against morphine was generated by immunizing chickens with well-characterized monoacetyl morphine-protein conjugate. The antibody was labeled with gold nanoparticles and used as an immunoprobe in the dipstick format for the visual detection of morphine in urine samples. The dipstick was developed using three membranes: an application pad made of glass fiber membrane to hold the tracer, a signal generation test line on nitrocellulose membrane (detection zone) and a cellulose membrane used as an absorption pad. Analytes of interest (morphine and its analogues) added to the sample well, dissolved the labeled antibody (tracer), and the antigen-antibody complex formed was transported by the flow caused by capillary action to the test line. The color signal of test line in proportion to the morphine concentration in urine samples was measured using a detector. The developed dipstick assay format was optimized, showing the average IC(50) values of morphine as low as 9.45 ng/mL, the detection range of 1-1000 ng/mL and the lowest detection limit 2.5 ng/mL under optimal conditions of analysis. The correlation between the developed dipstick and ELISA was 0.948 in the analysis of urine samples spiked with morphine. The developed dipstick could be a highly sensitive and convenient tool for rapid detection of opiate drugs in samples with high degree of stability.

Label-free ultra-sensitive detection of atrazine based on nanomechanics.

The alarming increase in the amount of dangerous pesticides such as atrazine in agricultural fields and drinking water is driving the growth of new technologies to detect these toxins well below their threat level. The recent elucidation of microcantilever nanomechanical bending in response to chemical and biomolecular interactions has added another significant facet to biochemical engineering research and has fostered the development of a variety of signal detection paradigms, at both the microscale and the nanoscale. We report the label-free detection of highly specific atrazine antibody-antigen interactions at the nanometer scale on microcantilevers, with 1 ppt (past per trillion) sensitivity. The chemical interaction-induced deflection of the cantilever beam reflects the interplay between the strain energy increase of the cantilever and the free energy reduction of the reaction, providing a unique system for investigating the connection between the nanomechanics and the chemistry of antibody-antigen interaction at picomolar concentration with nanometer resolution. Cantilevers were functionalized with highly specific and site-directed anti-atrazine antibodies and exposed to target antigen over a wide range of concentration from 4.65 pM to 46.5 µM of varying sequence in static and flow conditions. Antibody-antigen interaction of atrazine with the specific antibody resulted in net negative deflection of the cantilever. The results show that high specificity and site-directed antibody immobilization lead to ultra-high sensitivity detection of atrazine. The measurements provide results within minutes at the picomolar level, and exhibit high target specificity. This qualifies the technology as a rapid method to validate organic toxins and its progression.

Immunosensors for pesticide analysis: antibody production and sensor development.

Immunosensors, a type of affinity biosensor, are based on the binding interactions between an immobilized biomolecule (antibody/antigen) on the electronic transducer surface with the analyte of interest (antigen/antibody), resulting in a detectable signal. The sensor system takes advantage of the high selectivity provided by the molecular recognition characteristic of an antibody, which binds reversibly with a specific antigen. This review article presents the current status of immunosensors, highlighting their potential benefits and limitations for pesticide analysis. The basic criteria for generating specific antibodies against low-molecular-mass pesticides, which are usually nonimmunogenic in nature, are briefly discussed. The article also describes the fundamentals of important transducer technologies and their use in immunosensor development.