Review: Electrochemical DNA sensing - Principles, commercial systems, and applications.

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Biochemistry
• Microfluidics
• Nucleic Acid Testing

Background:

• Electrochemical DNA sensing is crucial for portable, sensitive detection systems.
• Existing reviews often lack assessment of commercial maturity and real-world application viability.
• Assessing the integration and automation of these principles is key for market entry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and categorize general electrochemical DNA sensing principles.
• To assess the commercial state-of-the-art of electrochemical nucleic acid testing systems.
• To identify suitable principles for specific applications and interdisciplinary challenges.

Main Methods:

• Categorization of principles into heterogeneous vs. homogeneous, and label-free vs. labeled, reagent-less vs. reagent-dependent.
• Focus on commercially available or near-market electrochemical DNA detection systems.
• Analysis of the complete process, automation, and application fields.

Main Results:

• Electrochemical DNA sensing principles are implemented in commercial systems and advanced prototypes.
• Applications span skincare, food safety, and in vitro diagnostics.
• Some systems demonstrate automated sample-to-answer capabilities.

Conclusions:

• Various electrochemical DNA sensing principles have achieved commercial viability.
• Successful applications demonstrate the potential for point-of-need nucleic acid testing.
• Further interdisciplinary efforts are needed to enhance integration and automation for broader adoption.