A novel polypeptide-modified fluorescent gold nanoclusters for copper ion detection

Biomolecule-functionalized fluorescent gold nanocluster (AuNCs) have attracted a lot of attention due to good biocompatibility, stable physicochemical properties and considerable cost advantages. Inappropriate concentration of Cu(2+) may cause a variety of diseases. In this study, AuNCs were synthesized in alkaline aqueous solution using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a template. And then, the peptide CCYWDAHRDY was coupled to AuNCs. Furthermore, the fluorescence of synthesized CCYWDAHRDY-AuNCs response to Cu(2+) was evaluated. As the results shown that the CCYWDAHRDY-AuNCs can sensitively detect Cu(2+). After adding Cu(2+) to the probe system, the fluorescence of the CCYWDAHRDY-AuNCs was quenched. The detection conditions were at pH 6 and 30 °C for 10 min, the linear relationship between Cu(2+) concentration and fluorescence intensity were good in the range of 0.1 ~ 4.2 μmol/L. The regression equation was y = − 105.9x + 693.68, the linear correlation coefficient is 0.997, and the minimum detection limit was 52 nmol/L.