Studies on fluorescence resonance energy transfer between dyes and water-soluble quantum dots

Abstract

In this work, donor-acceptor complexes were formed based on antibody-antigen interactions. Immunoglobulin antigen (mouse-IgG) was effectively conjugated to mercaptopropyl acid-modified CdTe quantum dot synthesized in aqueous solution via electrostatic interaction, while organic dyes-tetramethylrhodamine isothiocyanate (TRITC) were attached to the corresponding antibody (anti-mouse IgG). The mutual affinity of the antigen and antibody brought the CdTe quantum dot and TRITC sufficiently close together to allow the resonance dipole-dipole coupling required for fluorescence resonance energy transfer to occur. The formation of immunocomplexes resulted in fluorescence resonance energy transfer from the CdTe quantum dot donors to the TRITC acceptors.