Abstract
The fluorescence-based methods of single-molecule optical detection have opened up unprecedented possibilities for imaging, monitoring, and sensing at a single-molecule level. However, single-molecule detection methods are very slow, making them practically inapplicable. In this paper, we show how to overcome this key limitation using the expanded laser spot, laser excitation in a nonfluorescent spectral window of biomolecules, and more binding fluorescent molecules on a biomolecule that increases the detection volume and the number of collected photons. We demonstrate advantages of the developed approach unreachable by any other technique using detection of single cardiac troponin-T molecules: (i) 1000-fold faster than by known approaches, (ii) real-time imaging of single troponin-T molecules dissolved in human blood serum, (iii) measurement of troponin-T concentration with a clinically important sensitivity of about 1 pg/mL. The developed approach can be used for ultrafast, ultrasensitive detection, monitoring, and real-time imaging of other biomolecules as well as of larger objects including pathogenic viruses and bacteria.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 3576-3583 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | ACS Sensors |
Volume | 5 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 25 2020 |
Keywords
- cardiomarkers
- real-time bio-imaging
- single biomolecule detection
- single-molecule counting techniques in sensorics
- troponin-T
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Bioengineering
- Instrumentation
- Process Chemistry and Technology
- Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes