Chameleon-inspired molecular imprinted polymer with bicolored states for visual and stable detection of diethylstilbestrol in water and food samples.

A novel biomimetic molecular imprinted polymer chip with fluorescence (FL) and structural (STR) states, inspired by color patterns of chameleon skin, is fabricated for detecting diethylstilbestrol (DES). The chip features a regularly structured, non-closed-packed (NCP) colloidal photonic crystal (CPC) lattice made monodisperse MIP spheres containing fluorescence poly ionic liquid (FPIL) pigments. The FL color originates from FPIL pigments and is further enhanced by the Purcell effect, while the STR color results from the periodic arrangement of the NCP CPC structure.

CRISPR-Cas14a and allosteric transcription factors empowered cell-free electrochemical biosensor for highly sensitive and stable detection of progesterone in multiple scenarios.

In this study, a cell-free electrochemical assay based on allosteric transcription factors (aTFs) and CRISPR-Cas14a was developed for the detection of progesterone in trace samples. This electrochemical biosensor helps to overcome the drawbacks of the traditional fluorescence assay based on the CRISPR-Cas system and aTFs combined for non-nucleic acid targets that is poorly effective for the detection of colored samples. By comparing and optimizing the concentration and length of the probes in the straight chain and hairpin structure, the sensor performance was improved.

Beetle-inspired AuNPs semi-embedded colloidal crystal chips for the highly sensitive and colored detection of chloramphenicol in foods.

Inspired by the desert beetle, a novel biomimetic chip was developed to detect chloramphenicol (CP). The chip was characterized by a periodic array in which hydrophobic Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) were semi-embedded on hydrophilic polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) spheres. Among them, the AuNPs exhibited both a localized surface plasmon resonance effect to amplify the reflected signal and a synergistic effect with PMMA spheres to create a significant hydrophilic-hydrophobic interface, which facilitated the enrichment of target CP molecules and improved sensitivity.