A possible merge of FRET and SPR sensing system for highly accurate and selective immunosensing

Abstract

Immuno-sensing for high accurate and selective sensing was performed by fluorescence spectroscopy and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), respectively. Engineered assembly of two fluorescent quantum dots (QDs) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and anti-BSA was fabricated in PBS buffer for fluorescence analysis of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Furthermore, the same bio-moieties were immobilized on Au plates for SPR analysis. Naturally-driven binding affinity of immuno-moieties induced FRET and plasmon resonance angle shift in the nanoscale sensing system. Interestingly, the sensing ranges were uniquely different in two systems: e.g., SPR spectroscopy was suitable for highly accurate analysis to measure in the range of 10-15~-10 ng/mL while the QD fluorescent sensing system was relatively lower sensing ranges in 10-10~-6 ng/mL. However, the QD sensing system was larger than the SPR sensing system in terms of sensing capacity per one specimen. It is, therefore, suggested that a mutual assistance of FRET and SPR combined sensing system would be a potentially promising candidate for high accuracy and reliable in situ sensing system of immune-related diseases.