A ratiometric colorimetric detection of the folate receptor based on terminal protection of small-molecule-linked DNA

Development of strategies for the sensitive and selective detection of the folate receptor (FR) that are simple and low cost is of great importance for assessing cancer therapeutics due to its crucial role in physiological, pharmacological and pathological processes. In this paper, gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-based novel ratiometric colorimetry for the detection of the folate receptor (FR) is proposed based on terminal protection of small-molecule-linked DNA. The single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) terminally tethered to folic acid (FA) is protected from degradation by exonuclease I (Exo I) when the FA moiety is bound to FR. The hybridization between FR-protected DNA and DNA-functionalized Au NPs generated a red-to-purple colour change, allowing the visual detection of FR. The detection limit of FR can be as low as 0.33 ng mL(-1) with the naked eye. It provides a promising strategy for visual detection of the binding event of FA to its protein receptor-FR with advantages such as simplicity, high selectivity, and a wide linear range.