Disposable nucleic acid biosensors based on gold nanoparticle probes and lateral flow strip

In this article, we describe a disposable nucleic acid biosensor (DNAB) for low-cost and sensitive detection of nucleic acid samples in 15 min. Combining the unique optical properties of gold nanoparticles (Au-NP) and the high efficiency of chromatographic separation, sandwich-type DNA hybridization reactions were realized on the lateral flow strips, which avoid multiple incubation, separation, and washing steps in the conventional nucleic acid biosensors. The captured Au-NP probes on the test zone and control zone of the biosensor produced the characteristic red bands, enabling visual detection of nucleic acid samples without instrumentation. The quantitative detection was performed by reading the intensities of the produced red bands with a portable strip reader. The parameters (e.g., the concentration of reporter probe, the size of Au-NP, the amount of Au-NP-DNA probe, lateral flow membranes, and the concentration of running buffer) that govern the sensitivity and reproducibility of the sensor were optimized. The response of the optimized device is highly linear over the range of 1-100 nM target DNA, and the limit of detection is estimated to be 0.5 nM in association with a 15 min assay time. The sensitivity of the biosensor was further enhanced by using horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-Au-NP dual labels which ensure a quite low detection limit of 50 pM. The DNAB has been applied for the detection of human genomic DNA directly with a detection limit of 2.5 microg/mL (1.25 fM) by adopting well-designed DNA probes. The new nucleic acid biosensor thus provides a rapid, sensitive, low cost, and quantitative tool for the detection of nucleic acid samples. It shows great promise for in-field and point-of-care diagnosis of genetic diseases and detection of infectious agents or warning against biowarfare agents.