Solid composite electrodes for DNA enrichment and detection

New plastic composite electrodes with appliance in medical diagnostic are described. The new electrode material offers the possibility of specific electrical enrichment and electrochemical analysis of nucleic acid sequences. To facilitate selective enrichment of target nucleic acids, specific probe oligonucleotides were attached covalently to free carboxyl groups of conducting polycarbonate/carbon fiber electrodes. Complementary oligonucleotides were enriched from analyte solutions by electric field supported methods. The analysis of the PCR product shows the efficiency and selectivity of the electrical enrichment. We have also shown that inexpensive and robust solid electrodes made of polycarbonate and conductive carbon powder are suitable for electrochemical examination of nucleic acids. The combination of electrochemical enrichment of DNA and subsequent electrochemical detection is a promising approach towards an inexpensive molecular diagnosis kit.