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Nanoparticles as fluorescent labels for optical imaging and sensing in genomics and proteomics

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Abstract

Optical labelling reagents (dyes and fluorophores) are an essential component of probe-based biomolecule detection, an approach widely employed in a variety of areas including environmental analysis, disease diagnostics, pharmaceutical screening, and proteomic and genomic studies. Recently, functional nanomaterials, as a new generation of high-value optical labels, have been applied to molecular detection. The great potential of such recent optical labels has paved the way for the development of new biomolecule assays with unprecedented analytical performance characteristics, related to sensitivity, multiplexing capability, sample throughput, cost-effectiveness and ease of use. This review aims to provide an overview of recent advances using different nanoparticles (such as quantum dots, rare earth doped nanoparticles or gold nanoparticles) for analytical genomics and proteomics, with particular emphasis on the outlook for different strategies of using nanoparticles for bioimaging and quantitative bioanalytical applications, as well as possibilities and limitations of nanoparticles in such a growing field.

Nanoparticles for analytical genomics and proteomics, with particular emphasis on bioimaging and quantitative bioanalytical applications of nanoparticles

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Acknowledgements

Financial support from project CTQ2006-02309/BQU (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation cofinanced by the EU FEDER Programme) is gratefully acknowledged.

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Correspondence to Alfredo Sanz-Medel.

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Ana María Coto-García and Emma Sotelo-González contributed equally to this work.

Published in the special issue Nanomaterials for Improved Analytical Processes with Guest Editors Miguel Valcárcel and Bartolomé M. Simonet.

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Coto-García, A.M., Sotelo-González, E., Fernández-Argüelles, M.T. et al. Nanoparticles as fluorescent labels for optical imaging and sensing in genomics and proteomics. Anal Bioanal Chem 399, 29–42 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-010-4330-3

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