Facile construction of a highly sensitive DNA biosensor by in-situ assembly of electro-active tags on hairpin-structured probe fragment

An ultrasensitive DNA biosensor has been developed through in-situ labeling of electroactive melamine-Cu(2+) complex (Mel-Cu(2+)) on the end of hairpin-like probe using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as the signal amplification platform. The 3'-thiolated hairpin-like probe was first immobilized to the gold electrode surface by the Au-S bond. The AuNPs were then tethered on the free 5'-end of the immobilized probe via the special affinity between Au and the modified -NH2. Followed by, the Mel and Cu(2+) were assembled on the AuNPs surface through Au-N bond and Cu(2+)-N bond, respectively. Due to the surface area and electrocatalytic effects of the AuNPs, the loading amount and electron transfer kinetic of the Mel-Cu(2+) were enhanced greatly, resulting in significantly enhanced electrochemical response of the developed biosensor. Compared with the synthesis process of conventional electroactive probe DNA accomplished by homogeneous method, the method presented in this work is more reagent- and time-saving. The proposed biosensor showed high selectivity, wide linear range and low detection limit. This novel strategy could also be extended to the other bioanalysis platforms such as immunosensors and aptasensors.