Aptamer-Functionalized DNA–Silver Nanocluster Nanofilm for Visual Detection and Elimination of Bacteria

As a new type of nanomaterial, DNA-templated silver nanoclusters (DNA-AgNCs) have been widely studied because of their fluorescence and antibacterial properties. In this study, we combined the DNA-AgNCs with aptamers of bacteria to achieve a novel approach for the visual detection and effective elimination of bacteria. The aptamers of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were linked to G-rich sequences to achieve fluorescence enhancement when approaching the DNA-AgNCs. The capture of aptamers not only realized the visual monitoring of bacteria but also promoted the antibacterial effects. Additionally, a fluorescent nanofilm with excellent selectivity and antibacterial activity in the detection and elimination of S. aureus was developed based on the DNA-AgNCs. These aptamer-functionalized DNA-AgNCs show significant potential for many applications in food packaging and biomedical engineering.