Ultrasensitive and real-time detection of proteins in blood using a potentiometric carbon-nanotube aptasensor

Potentiometric sensing represents the preferred technique in many routine measurements of pH and ions. Unfortunately, the simplicity of the technique has not been exploited so far in high throughput biomolecular sensing. In this work, we demonstrate the capabilities of the hybrid functional material carbon nanotubes/aptamer for the creation of a new generation of nuclease-resistant aptasensors using the potentiometric transduction capabilities of single-walled carbon nanotubes in combination with the recognition capabilities of a protein-specific RNA aptamer. The aptasensor was used to detect and identify disease-related proteins at attomolar concentration values in a rapid and non-expensive way. The variable surface glycoprotein from African Trypanosomes was chosen as an ideal model system for a pathogenic exoantigen protein in a clinical sample. Variations in the electromotive force are achieved in real-time upon the direct addition of diluted real blood samples containing the target protein thus eliminating the need of preliminary matrix removal. This work would open the door to real-time diagnostic assays for a wide range of diseases, but also to the rapid molecular detection of several proteins in truly customizable protein biosensing platforms.