Sensitive assay of protease activity on a micro/nanofluidics preconcentrator fused with the fluorescence resonance energy transfer detection technique.

A fast and sensitive assay of protease activity on a micro/nanofluidics preconcentrator combining with fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) detection technique has been developed in a homogeneous real-time format. First, the functionalized nanoprobes are formed by loading dye labeled protein onto gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), in which, the photoluminescence of donor dye was strongly quenched by AuNPs due to FRET mechanisms. For protease activity assay, the nanoprobes are enriched by a micro/nanofluidics preconcentrator.

Insights into the "free state" enzyme reaction kinetics in nanoconfinement.

The investigation of enzyme reaction kinetics in nanoconfined spaces mimicking the conditions in living systems is of great significance. Here, a nanofluidics chip integrated with an electrochemical detector has been designed for studying "free state" enzyme reaction kinetics in nanoconfinement. The nanofluidics chip is fabricated using the UV-ablation technique developed in our group.

Rapid protein concentration, efficient fluorescence labeling and purification on a micro/nanofluidics chip.

Fluorescence analysis has proved to be a powerful detection technique for achieving single molecule analysis. However, it usually requires the labeling of targets with bright fluorescent tags since most chemicals and biomolecules lack fluorescence. Conventional fluorescence labeling methods require a considerable quantity of biomolecule samples, long reaction times and extensive chromatographic purification procedures.