Superhydrophilic cotton thread with temperature-dependent pattern for sensitive nucleic acid detection.

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Biosensor Technology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Cotton thread's superhydrophilicity poses challenges for precise analyte localization in biosensor fabrication.
• Developing cost-effective and sensitive biosensors is crucial for widespread diagnostic applications, especially in resource-limited settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple, low-cost, and accurate cotton thread-based nucleic acid biosensor.
• To overcome the challenge of analyte enrichment on a narrow zone of the cotton thread using a novel patterning technique.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a temperature-dependent pattern using liquid wax to confine the test zone.
• Utilizing gold nanoparticles (GNPs) for visual and quantitative detection of target DNA.
• Assessing the biosensor's performance in terms of sensitivity, sample volume, and detection time.

Main Results:

• The cotton thread biosensor successfully detected target DNA with a detection limit of 0.75 nM.
• The liquid wax patterning effectively restricted the test zone, enabling precise analyte accumulation.
• The biosensor demonstrated faster wicking and required less sample compared to traditional lateral flow strips.

Conclusions:

• The developed cotton thread biosensor offers a simple, low-cost, and rapid method for nucleic acid detection.
• This technology holds significant potential for improving healthcare diagnostics in developing regions.
• The temperature-dependent patterning strategy is a viable approach for enhancing biosensor performance on hydrophilic substrates.