A sensitive fluorescence assay of organophosphorus pesticides using acetylcholinesterase and copper-catalyzed click chemistry.

Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are widely used in agricultural fields, but exhibit high toxicity to human beings. A sensitive fluorescence assay for organophosphorus pesticides was developed using the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and the copper-catalyzed click chemical reaction. In the click reaction, two hybridized DNA probes can be ligated with copper ions, inducing a fluorescence quenching during the strand displacement reaction.