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The rapid analysis of trace metal cations for environmental biomedical applications is particularly demanding since it the specific recognition of a particular element in the of numerous closely related species. While remarkable has been achieved for inorganic analytes, such as Ca^ (2+), there is still a significant need for the genesis of new fluorosensors. In light of the selectivity and avidity with which proteins bind divalent metal cations, we have chosen to use a polypeptide architecture as the framework for metal ion recognition. In addition, our ability to manipulate synthetic polypeptides allows the coordinated integration of fluorescent reporters for signal transduction within a metal-binding peptidyl construct. Herein we report the design, synthesis, and evaluation of a selective fluorescent chemosensor, sensitive to nanomolar of Zn^ (2+).
Walkup et al. (Mon,) studied this question.