Volume 45, Issue 28 pp. 4562-4589
Review

Materials for Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Analysis: Beyond Traditional Donor–Acceptor Combinations

Kim E. Sapsford Dr.

Kim E. Sapsford Dr.

Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Code 6910, 4555 Overlook Ave, SW Washington, DC 20375, USA, Fax: (+1) 202-767-9594

George Mason University, 10910 University Blvd, MS 4E3, Manassas, VA 20110, USA

These authors contributed equally.

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Lorenzo Berti Dr.

Lorenzo Berti Dr.

S3-INFM-CNR, National Research Center on nanoStructures and bioSystems at Surfaces, Via Campi 213/A, 41100 Modena, Italy

These authors contributed equally.

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Igor L. Medintz Dr.

Igor L. Medintz Dr.

Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Code 6910, 4555 Overlook Ave, SW Washington, DC 20375, USA, Fax: (+1) 202-767-9594

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First published: 03 July 2006
Citations: 1,425

Supporting information for this article (a list of companies whose products are mentioned in this review) is available on the WWW under http://www.angewandte.org or from the author.

Graphical Abstract

Dye another day: Modern donor and acceptor materials for fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) analyses (see picture) comprise photochromic dyes, semiconductor nanocrystals, nanoparticles, fluorescent amino acids, polymers, and genetically encoded protein, in additional to “traditional” organic dyes. The scope and boundaries of such systems, as well as avaible methods for bioconjugation are discussed, with an emphasis on the combination of different materials.

Abstract

The use of Förster or fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) as a spectroscopic technique has been in practice for over 50 years. A search of ISI Web of Science with just the acronym “FRET” returns more than 2300 citations from various areas such as structural elucidation of biological molecules and their interactions, in vitro assays, in vivo monitoring in cellular research, nucleic acid analysis, signal transduction, light harvesting and metallic nanomaterials. The advent of new classes of fluorophores including nanocrystals, nanoparticles, polymers, and genetically encoded proteins, in conjunction with ever more sophisticated equipment, has been vital in this development. This review gives a critical overview of the major classes of fluorophore materials that may act as donor, acceptor, or both in a FRET configuration. We focus in particular on the benefits and limitations of these materials and their combinations, as well as the available methods of bioconjugation.

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