Abstract
Diatoms are unicellular algae, which fabricates ornate biosilica shells called frustules that possess a surface rich in reactive silanol (Si–OH) groups. The intrinsic patterned porous structure of diatom frustules at nanoscale can be exploited in the effective detection of biomolecules. In this study, the frustules of a specific diatom Amphora sp. has been functionalized to detect bovine serum albumin (BSA). The functionalization of the diatom frustule substrate is achieved by using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APES). The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) results showed an ornately patterned surface of the frustule valve ordered at nanoscale. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra confirmed the N–H bending and stretching of the amine group after amine functionalization. The emission peaks in the photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the amine-functionalized diatom biosilica selectively enhanced the intensity by a factor of ten when compared to that of a bare diatom biosilica. The result showed a significant quenching of PL intensity of BSA at around 445 nm due to the interaction of amine-functionalized diatom–BSA protein complex. The detection limit was found to be 3 × 10−5 M of BSA protein. Hence, the study proves that the functionalized frustule of Amphora sp. is an effective quantitative analytical tool for optical label-free biosensing applications.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Rai Choudhury, P., SPIE Optical Engineering (1997). Handbook of Microlithography, Micromachining, and Microfabrication.
Sundar, V. C., Yablon, A. D., Grazul, J. L., Ilan, M., & Aizenberg, J. (2003). Nature, 424, 899.
Vukusic, P., & Sambles, J. R. (2003). Nature, 424, 852.
Shigeoka, T., Sato, Y., Takeda, Y., Yoshida, K., & Yamauchi, F. (1998). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 7, 847.
Ma, J., Xu, L., Wang, S., Zheng, R., Jin, S., Huang, S., & Huang, Y. (2002). Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 51, 128.
Kasai, F., & Hatakeyama, S. (1993). Chemosphere, 27, 899.
Pardos, M., Bninghoff, C., & Thomas, R. L. (1998). Journal of Applied Phycology, 10, 145.
Drum, R. W., & Gordon, R. (2003). Trends in Biotechnology, 21, 325.
Wetherbee, R. (2002). Science, 298, 547.
Round, F. E., Crawford, R. M & Mann, D. G. (1990). Cambridge University Press.
Fuhrmann, T., Landwehr, S., Rharbi-Kucki, M. E., & Sumper, M. (2004). Applied Physics B: Lasers and Optics, 78, 257.
De Stefano, L., Rendina, I., De Stefano, M., Bismuto, A., & Maddalena, P. (2005). Applied Physics Letters, 87, 23.
Bao, Z., Weatherspoon, M. R., Shian, S., Cai, Y., Graham, P. D., Allan, S. M., Ahmad, G., Dickerson, M. B., Church, B. C., Kang, Z., Abernathy Iii, H. W., Summers, C. J., Liu, M., & Sandhage, K. H. (2007). Nature, 446, 172.
De Stefano, L., Rea, I., Rendina, I., De Stefano, M., & Moretti, L. (2007). Optics Express, 15, 26.
Townley, H. E., Parker, A. R., & White-Cooper, H. (2008). Advanced Functional Materials, 18, 369.
Jin, W. J., Shen, G. L & Yu, R. Q. (1998). Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy, 54.
Carter, D. D., & Ho, J. X. (1994). Advances in Protein Chemistry, 45, 153.
Olson, R. E., & Christ, D. D. (1996). Annual Reports in Medicinal Chemistry, 31, 327.
Ashoka, S., Seetharamappa, J., Kandagal, P. B., & Shaikh, S. M. T. (2006). Journal of Luminescence, 121, 179.
Sklar, L. A., Hudson, B. S., & Simoni, R. D. (1977). Biochemistry, 16, 5100.
Wang, Y. Q., Zhang, H. M., Zhang, G. C., Tao, W. H., & Tang, S. H. (2007). Journal of Luminescence, 126, 211.
Zhou, N., Liang, Y. Z., & Wang, P. (2006). Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, 185, 271.
Zhou, B., Qi, Z., Xiao, Q., Dong, J. X., Zhang, Y. Z., & Liu, Y. (2007). Journal of Biochemical and Biophysical Methods, 70, 743.
Wang, C. X., Yan, F. F., Zhang, Y. X., & Ye, L. (2007). Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, 192, 23–28.
Sulkowska, A., & Rownicka, J. (2003). Bojkoa, B & Sulkowski, W. Journal of Molecular Structure, 133, 651–653.
APHA. (2012). Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Waste Water (22nd ed.). Washington: American Public Health Association.
Guillard, R. R. L., & Ryther, J. H. (1962). Gran Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 8, 229.
Yu, Y., Addai-Mensah, J., & Losic, D. (2010). Langmuir, 26, 14068.
Yu, Y., Addai-Mensah, J., & Losic, D. (2012). Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, 13, 11.
Qin, T., Gutu, T., Jiao, J., Chang, C.-H., & Rorrer, G. L. (2008). Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 8, 2392.
Crawford, S. A., Higgins, M. J., Mulvaney, P., & Wetherbee, R. (2001). Journal of Phycology, 37, 543.
Jeffryes, C., Gutu, T., Jiao, J., & Rorrer, G. L. (2008). Materials Science and Engineering C, 28, 107.
Gendron-Badou, A., Coradin, T., Maquet, J., Fröhlich, F., & Livage, J. (2003). Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 316, 331.
Gélabert, A., Pokrovsky, O. S., Schott, J., Boudou, A., Feurtet-Mazel, A., Mielczarski, J., Mielczarski, E., Mesmer-Dudons, N., & Spalla, O. (2004). Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 68, 4039.
Kovalchuk, T., Sfihi, H., Kostenko, L., Zaitsev, V., & Fraissard, J. (2006). Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 302, 214.
Niu, J., & Gao, H. (2014). Journal of Luminescence, 149, 159–162.
De Stefano, L., Rotiroti, L., De Stefano, M., Lamberti, A., Lettieri, S., Setaro, A., & Maddalena, P. (2009). Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 24, 1580–1584.
Wang, J., Wu, J., Zhang, Z. H., Zhang, X. D., Wang, L., Xu, L., Guo, B. D., Li, H., & Tong, J. (2005). Chinese Chemical Letters, 16, 1105.
Klajnert, B., & Bryszewska, M. (2002). Bioelectrochemistry, 55, 33.
Benesi, H. A., & Hildebrand, J. H. (1949). Journal of the American Chemical Society, 71, 2703.
Stewart, M. P., & Buriak, J. M. (2000). Advanced Materials, 12, 859.
Gale, D. K., Gutu, T., Jiao, J., Chang, C. H., & Rorrer, G. L. (2009). Advanced Functional Materials, 19, 926.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Viji, S., Anbazhagi, M., Ponpandian, N. et al. Diatom-Based Label-Free Optical Biosensor for Biomolecules. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 174, 1166–1173 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-014-1040-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-014-1040-x