Sensor for Detecting Protease using Nanoparticle-Nucleic Acid-Peptide Complex

Protease sensor for disease diagnosis and drug screening

This technology is about a sensor for proteolytic enzyme detection using a metal nanoparticle-nucleic acid-peptide complex.

To solve the problems of high cost, long time, and low stability of protein detection methods, an innovative sensor using a metal nanoparticle-nucleic acid-peptide complex was developed. This technology specifically emits strong fluorescence when a peptide is degraded by a specific proteolytic enzyme, quickly and accurately measuring the proteolytic enzyme.

This technology can be used in a variety of fields, including cell-based non-destructive and real-time measurement, body fluid-based on-site disease diagnostic kits, drug screening, and cell and tissue imaging. In particular, it is a platform that can contribute to the early diagnosis and development of treatments for major diseases such as cancer, arthritis, and neurological diseases.

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Key Features:

• It operates like a switch on and off the fluorescent signal by controlling the distance between the gold nanoparticle and the fluorescent substance using the Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence (MEF) phenomenon.
• Off state (Fluorescence quenching): Normally, the fluorescent substance is connected to the surface of the gold nanoparticle by peptide and DNA and maintains a very close distance.
• On state (Fluorescence amplification): When a specific proteolytic enzyme appears and cleaves the peptide, the distance between the fluorescent substance and the gold nanoparticle increases. As it moves further away, the optimal distance of about 8 nm is secured, the quenching effect disappears and the fluorescence signal is amplified dozens of times.
• Label-free method that does not require a separate label, allowing users to measure proteins more easily and quickly

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This technology was developed through support from the Research Fellow research project of the National Research Foundation of Korea.

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