A portable and sensitive DNA-based electrochemical sensor for detecting piconewton-scale cellular forces

Area of Science:

• Biophysics
• Cell Biology
• Biosensors

Background:

• Cell-generated forces are critical in cellular processes like migration and cancer.
• Existing force measurement techniques often require complex equipment and expertise.
• There is a need for accessible tools to study mechanosensitive cellular behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, portable, and cost-effective sensor for measuring cell-generated forces.
• To create an easy-to-use device for regular biological laboratories.
• To enhance the sensitivity and tunability of cellular force detection.

Main Methods:

• Development of a smartphone-based electrochemical sensor utilizing DNA-based force probes (tension gauge tethers) on gold screen-printed electrodes.
• Incorporation of a CRISPR-Cas12a system to enhance sensitivity by cleaving anchor DNA strands.
• Measurement of cellular adhesion forces using integrin-mediated tension as a model system.

Main Results:

• Successfully detected piconewton-scale adhesion forces from as few as 10 HeLa cells.
• Demonstrated reliable measurement of cellular forces using the portable electrochemical device.
• Showcased modular tunability of sensor threshold forces for detecting varying force levels.

Conclusions:

• The developed DNA-based electrochemical sensors are highly sensitive, portable, cost-efficient, and user-friendly.
• These sensors can serve as valuable complementary tools to existing methods like traction force microscopy.
• Potential applications include studying cell signaling mechanics and advancing tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and cell therapy.