Relative enhancement, optical biosensors

An evanescent wave biosensor was devised for determination of analytes capable of intercalation in dsDNA in a FIA system. A polyethylene lensed optical fiber is coated with a thin polymeric layer containing dsDNA which is immobilized there. The fiber is placed in a FLA system immersed in a solution of ethidium bromide (144), which undergoes intercalation in the dsDNA. The fluorescence signal of 144 is thus enhanced about a 1000-fold relative to the evanescent wave fluorescence measurement without the coating and is dependent on the concentration in solution. If an analyte is present in the same solution, it competes with 144 for intercalation in the DNA and causes fluorescence quenching, which can be measured and correlated to the analyte concentration. This method was applied to determination of various analytes, including 4, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (145)247. 

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