Metal-enhanced intrinsic fluorescence of nucleic acids using platinum nanostructured substrates

[Display omitted] ► Enhanced fluorescence from nucleotides and G-quadruplex DNA near Pt nanoparticles. ► Pt nanostructures increase the photostability of nucleic acids. ► FEM calculations revealed enhancement dependent on Pt particle size and shape. ► Pt nanostructured substrates for label free nucleic acid detection. We investigated the feasibility of using platinum nanostructures to accomplish the metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) in the UV spectral region. We examine the possibility for detection of the intrinsic fluorescence from nucleotides and G-quadruplex DNA on platinum nanoparticles. Guanosine monophosphate (GMP) showed significant increases (∼20-fold) in fluorescence intensities in the presence of platinum nanostructures when compared to quartz controls. G-quadruplex DNA demonstrated ∼5-fold increase in fluorescence intensity and higher photostability in the presence of Pt nanostructures. We performed Finite Element Method simulations to explore how Pt nanoparticles interact with plane waves and conformed that the Pt nanostructures are promising for enhancing the fluorescence emission in the UV region.