@article{LopezdeGuerenuBastianWessigetal.2019, author = {L{\´o}pez de Guere{\~n}u, Anna and Bastian, Philipp and Wessig, Pablo and John, Leonard and Kumke, Michael Uwe}, title = {Energy Transfer between Tm-Doped Upconverting Nanoparticles and a Small Organic Dye with Large Stokes Shift}, series = {Biosensors : open access journal}, volume = {9}, journal = {Biosensors : open access journal}, number = {1}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel}, issn = {2079-6374}, doi = {10.3390/bios9010009}, pages = {17}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Lanthanide-doped upconverting nanoparticles (UCNP) are being extensively studied for bioapplications due to their unique photoluminescence properties and low toxicity. Interest in RET applications involving UCNP is also increasing, but due to factors such as large sizes, ion emission distributions within the particles, and complicated energy transfer processes within the UCNP, there are still many questions to be answered. In this study, four types of core and core-shell NaYF4-based UCNP co-doped with Yb3+ and Tm3+ as sensitizer and activator, respectively, were investigated as donors for the Methyl 5-(8-decanoylbenzo[1,2-d:4,5-d ']bis([1,3]dioxole)-4-yl)-5-oxopentanoate (DBD-6) dye. The possibility of resonance energy transfer (RET) between UCNP and the DBD-6 attached to their surface was demonstrated based on the comparison of luminescence intensities, band ratios, and decay kinetics. The architecture of UCNP influenced both the luminescence properties and the energy transfer to the dye: UCNP with an inert shell were the brightest, but their RET efficiency was the lowest (17\%). Nanoparticles with Tm3+ only in the shell have revealed the highest RET efficiencies (up to 51\%) despite the compromised luminescence due to surface quenching.}, language = {en} } @article{StraussWangDelacroixetal.2020, author = {Strauss, Volker and Wang, Huize and Delacroix, Simon and Ledendecker, Marc and Wessig, Pablo}, title = {Carbon nanodots revised}, series = {Chemical science}, volume = {11}, journal = {Chemical science}, number = {31}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {2041-6520}, doi = {10.1039/d0sc01605e}, pages = {8256 -- 8266}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Luminescent compounds obtained from the thermal reaction of citric acid and urea have been studied and utilized in different applications in the past few years. The identified reaction products range from carbon nitrides over graphitic carbon to distinct molecular fluorophores. On the other hand, the solid, non-fluorescent reaction product produced at higher temperatures has been found to be a valuable precursor for the CO2-laser-assisted carbonization reaction in carbon laser-patterning. This work addresses the question of structural identification of both, the fluorescent and non-fluorescent reaction products obtained in the thermal reaction of citric acid and urea. The reaction products produced during autoclave-microwave reactions in the melt were thoroughly investigated as a function of the reaction temperature and the reaction products were subsequently separated by a series of solvent extractions and column chromatography. The evolution of a green molecular fluorophore, namely HPPT, was confirmed and a full characterization study on its structure and photophysical properties was conducted. The additional blue fluorescence is attributed to oligomeric ureas, which was confirmed by complementary optical and structural characterization. These two components form strong hydrogen-bond networks which eventually react to form solid, semi-crystalline particles with a size of similar to 7 nm and an elemental composition of 46\% C, 22\% N, and 29\% O. The structural features and properties of all three main components were investigated in a comprehensive characterization study.}, language = {en} } @article{HoangMertensWessigetal.2018, author = {Hoang, Hoa T. and Mertens, Monique and Wessig, Pablo and Sellrie, Frank and Schenk, J{\"o}rg A. and Kumke, Michael Uwe}, title = {Antibody Binding at the Liposome-Water Interface}, series = {ACS Omega}, volume = {3}, journal = {ACS Omega}, number = {12}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {2470-1343}, doi = {10.1021/acsomega.8b03016}, pages = {18109 -- 18116}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Different signal amplification strategies to improve the detection sensitivity of immunoassays have been applied which utilize enzymatic reactions, nanomaterials, or liposomes. The latter are very attractive materials for signal amplification because liposomes can be loaded with a large amount of signaling molecules, leading to a high sensitivity. In addition, liposomes can be used as a cell-like "bioscaffold" to directly test recognition schemes aiming at cell-related processes. This study demonstrates an easy and fast approach to link the novel hydrophobic optical probe based on [1,3]dioxolo[4,5-f]-[1,3]benzodioxole (DBD dye mm239) with tunable optical properties to hydrophilic recognition elements (e.g., antibodies) using liposomes for signal amplification and as carrier of the hydrophobic dye. The fluorescence properties of mm239 (e.g., long fluorescence lifetime, large Stokes shift, high photostability, and high quantum yield), its high hydrophobicity for efficient anchoring in liposomes, and a maleimide bioreactive group were applied in a unique combination to build a concept for the coupling of antibodies or other protein markers to liposomes (coupling to membranes can be envisaged). The concept further allowed us to avoid multiple dye labeling of the antibody. Here, anti-TAMRA-antibody (DC7-Ab) was attached to the liposomes. In proof-of-concept, steady-state as well as time-resolved fluorescence measurements (e.g., fluorescence depolarization) in combination with single molecule detection (fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, FCS) were used to analyze the binding interaction between DC7-Ab and liposomes as well as the binding of the antigen rhodamine 6G (R6G) to the antibody. Here, the Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between mm239 and R6G was monitored. In addition to ensemble FRET data, single-molecule FRET (PIE-FRET) experiments using pulsed interleaved excitation were used to characterize in detail the binding on a single-molecule level to avoid averaging out effects.}, language = {en} }