Kabwe, Kapambwe PeterNsibande, Sifiso AlbertLemmer, YolandyPilcher, Lynne A.Forbes, Patricia B.C.2022-04-132022-04-132022-02Kabwe, K.P., Nsibande, S.A., Lemmer, Y. et al. 2022, 'Synthesis and characterisation of quantum dots coupled to mycolic acids as a water-soluble fluorescent probe for potential lateral flow detection of antibodies and diagnosis of tuberculosis', Luminescence, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 278-289, doi: 10.1002/bio.4170.1522-7235 (print)1522-7243 (online)10.1002/bio.4170https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/84878This work explores the potential use of cadmium-based quantum dots (QDs) coupled to mycolic acids (MAs) as a fluorescent probe to detect anti-MA antibodies which are biomarkers for tuberculosis (TB). The use of free MAs as antigens for the serodiagnosis of TB is known but has not been developed into a point of care test. This study focuses on the synthesis, solubility, and lateral flow of QDs coupled to MAs. Water-soluble CdSe/ZnS QDs capped with l-cysteine were synthesised and covalently coupled to MAs via amide linkages to form a water-soluble fluorescent probe: MA-CdSe/ZnS QDs. The MA-CdSe/ZnS QDs showed broad absorption bands and coupling, confirmed by the presence of amide bonds in the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum, resulting in a blue shift in fluorescence. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed a shift and increase in the number of peaks for MA-CdSe/ZnS QDs relative to the L-cys-CdSe/ZnS QDs, suggesting that coupling changed the crystal structure. The average particle size of MA-CdSe/ZnS QDs was ~3.0 nm. Visual paper-based lateral flow of MA-CdSe/ZnS QDs was achieved on strips of nitrocellulose membrane with both water and membrane blocking solution eluents. The highly fluorescent MA-CdSe/ZnS QDs showed good water solubility and lateral flow, which are important properties for fluorescence sensing applications.en© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article : 'Synthesis and characterisation of quantum dots coupled to mycolic acids as a water-soluble fluorescent probe for potential lateral flow detection of antibodies and diagnosis of tuberculosis', Luminescence, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 278-289, 2022, doi : 10.1002/bio.4170. The definite version is available at : http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/bio.Quantum dots (QDs)BiomarkersMycolic acids (MAs)Tuberculosis (TB)FluorescenceFourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)X-ray diffraction (XRD)Postprint Article