Comparative evaluation of high-performance aptamers to construct aggregation-induced emission-based DNA hydrogels for...

Ingestion of the highly toxic tetrodotoxin (TTX) poses a serious threat to human health, making the development of sensitive and accurate analytical methods urgently necessary. Recognition molecules are critical for achieving high-sensitivity detection. Here, we aimed to rationally evaluate aptamers with high affinity, stability, and specificity for TTX using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. High-brightness fluorescent probes (TBTZNPs) were prepared via self-assembly to restrict intramolecular motion. By integrating high-performance aptamers with these probes, composite DNA hydrogels encapsulating TBTZNPs were constructed, which could be cleaved in response to TTX for sensitive detection. The sensor exhibited excellent application value, with a detection limit of 21.7 pg/mL, high specificity, reproducibility, and stability. Recoveries from real samples ranged from 91.52% to 110.20%, consistent with standard methods. These results demonstrate that highly sensitive TTX detection can be achieved using high-performance aptamers, providing new strategies for aptamer evaluating, and food safety monitoring.