RSC Adv. 2026 Sep 14. doi: 10.1039/d6ra05840j. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
This study presents the development and validation of a novel fluorescence-based immunoassay for the rapid and sensitive detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) antigen using a terbium-keton complex (Tb-2,keton) as the luminescent probe. The sensing platform operates through fluorescence enhancement upon specific interaction between the MRSA antigen and its corresponding antibody. Comprehensive spectroscopic characterization, including UV-vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopy, was employed to investigate the optical properties and sensing mechanism. The Tb-2,keton complex exhibited characteristic terbium emission peaks, with the most intense signal observed at approximately 545 nm. Upon sequential addition of MRSA antigen and anti-MRSA antibody, significant fluorescence enhancement was observed, indicating successful immunocomplex formation. The biosensing system demonstrated concentration-dependent fluorescence responses, with the emission intensity increasing progressively with increasing antigen concentrations. The proposed method offers advantages of simplicity, rapid response (15 minutes), and high sensitivity for MRSA antigen detection. This work provides a foundation for developing terbium-based fluorescent immunoassays for pathogenic bacteria detection in clinical and food safety applications.
PMID:42741590 | PMC:PMC13573165 | DOI:10.1039/d6ra05840j