WS(2) and MoS(2) biosensing platforms using peptides as probe biomolecules

Biosensors based on the two-dimensional layered nanomaterials transition metal dichalcogenides such as WS(2) and MoS(2) have shown broad applications, while they largely rely on the utilization of single stranded DNA as probe biomolecules. Herein we have constructed novel WS(2)- and MoS(2)- based biosensing platforms using peptides as probe biomolecules. We have revealed for the first time that the WS(2) and MoS(2) nanosheets display a distinct adsorption for Arg amino acid and particularly, Arg-rich peptdies. We have demonstrated that the WS(2) and MoS(2) dramatically quench the fluorescence of our constructed Arg-rich probe peptide, while the hybridization of the probe peptide with its target collagen sequence leads to the fluorescence recovery. The WS(2)-based platform provides a sensitive fluorescence-enhanced assay that is highly specific to the target collagen peptide with little interferences from other proteins. This assay can be applied for quantitative detection of collagen biomarkers in complex biological fluids. The successful development of WS(2)- and MoS(2)- based biosensors using non-ssDNA probes opens great opportunities for the construction of novel multifunctional biosensing platforms, which may have great potential in a wide range of biomedical field.