Fluorescent metal nanoclusters (MNCs), composed of a few to hundreds of noble metal atoms, are a type of sub-nanometer scale transitional material between atoms and nanoparticles. The special structure and size endow MNCs with a series of excellent fluorescence properties, such as strong fluorescence, high quantum yield, good anti-photobleaching, and mega-Stokes shift. In addition, MNCs show advantageous properties with respect to good biocompatibility and water solubility. These properties have made MNCs new metal nano-fluorophores (MNFs) that are widely used in biochemical analysis and bioimaging. Among the various scaffolds for the stabilization of MNCs, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is an interesting ligand due to its unique structure and programmable sequences. The properties of DNA-templated MNCs, such as the excitation/emission wavelength, fluorescence intensity, and the sizes of the MNCs, can be controlled by DNA templates with different sequences, lengths or configurations. We call DNA-templated MNCs “DNA-coded MNFs” here. In this review, based on our previous studies on DNA-templated MNCs, we focus on systematically summarizing the preparations, property regulations and applications of DNA-coded MNFs in biosensing and bioimaging. Finally, the current challenges, research emphases and prospects of DNA-coded MNFs are also discussed. We believe that this review will promote the development of this fertile research area in the future.

中文翻译：

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DNA编码的金属纳米荧光团：制备、性质及其在生物传感和生物成像中的应用

荧光金属纳米团簇（MNC）由几个到数百个贵金属原子组成，是一种介于原子和纳米颗粒之间的亚纳米级过渡材料。特殊的结构和尺寸赋予MNCs一系列优异的荧光特性，如荧光强、量子产率高、抗光漂白性好、兆斯托克斯位移等。此外，跨国公司在良好的生物相容性和水溶性方面表现出有利的特性。这些特性使得 MNC 成为新型金属纳米荧光团（MNF），广泛应用于生化分析和生物成像。在用于稳定跨国公司的各种支架中，脱氧核糖核酸（DNA）因其独特的结构和可编程序列而成为一种有趣的配体。 DNA模板MNC的特性，例如激发/发射波长、荧光强度和MNC的大小，可以通过具有不同序列、长度或配置的DNA模板来控制。我们在这里将 DNA 模板化的 MNC 称为“DNA 编码的 MNF”。本综述基于我们前期对DNA模板化MNCs的研究，重点系统总结了DNA编码MNFs的制备、性质调控以及在生物传感和生物成像中的应用。最后，还讨论了DNA编码MNF的当前挑战、研究重点和前景。我们相信，这次审查将促进这个肥沃的研究领域未来的发展。