1.Progress in the molecular recognition mechanism of thioflavin T-Nucleic acid and the construction of fluorescent biosensors

Abstract:

DNA fluorescence sensors have been widely developed and used for the detection of biomarkers in various fields due to their advantages of easy-to-read signals, simple operation, and easy quantification. Thioflavin T, as a classic fluorescent dye, has become a core probe for constructing label-free fluorescent biosensors due to its significant fluorescence enhancement when bound to specific nucleic acid structures. This article focuses on the research field of unlabeled fluorescent biosensors based on thioflavin T, conducting an in-depth analysis of key bottlenecks such as low selectivity in aptamer screening, limited sensor sensitivity, and insufficient adaptability to practical sample applications in existing reviews. Different from traditional research that only focuses on G—quadruplexes, this review systematically reveals the regulation of G—triplex, i-motif, composite structures, and other non-classical nucleic acid conformations on thioflavin T fluorescence enhancement effects for the first time. It provided more comprehensive theoretical basis for the design of unlabeled sensors.

Keywords: thioflavin T;fluorescent sensor;G—Quadruplex;fluorescence probe