In this work, a new platform for pathogen discrimination and killing based on a conjugated polymer-quantum dot hybrid material was designed and constructed through the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) process. The hybrid material comprises water-soluble anionic CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) and a cationic poly(fluorene-alt-phenylene) derivative (PFP) through electrostatic interactions, thus promoting efficient FRET between PFP and QDs. Upon addition of different pathogen strains, the FRET from PFP to QDs was interrupted because of the competitive binding between PFP and the pathogens. Complexation of PFP and QDs also reduced the dark toxicity to a more desirable level, therefore potentially realizing the controllable killing of pathogens. The technique provides a promising theranostic platform in pathogen discrimination and disinfection based on FRET and phototoxicity of the PFP and QDs.
Keywords: FRET; conjugated polymers; pathogens discrimination and killing; quantum dots; theranostic platform.