Target induced dissociation (TID) strategy for the development of electrochemical aptamer-based biosensor

In this paper, we report a novel and more general signal-on strategy for the fabrication of electrochemical aptamer-based (E-AB) biosensor. The principle is that the interaction between the target and the aptamer strand may induce the formation and subsequent dissociation of target–aptamer complex from an electrode surface, and consequently, the remaining DNA strand on the electrode surface can hybridize again with a ssDNA containing an electrochemical probe. Differential pulse voltammetric studies have revealed that this target induced disassociation (TID) strategy is an effective signal-on method for the detection of ATP molecules with good selectivity. The TID strategy may also have several advantages, such as independence on the specific structure of either the aptamers or their complementary sequences and promotion of the generalization of E-AB sensors, the more convincible results due to the signal-on model, and the unnecessity to label the aptamers, which provides the optimized status for the reaction with the targets, etc.     

Recent Progress on Highly Selective and Sensitive Electrochemical Aptamer-based Sensors

Highly selective, sensitive, and stable biosensors are essential for the molecular level understanding of many physiological activities and diseases. Electrochemical aptamer-based (E-AB) sensor is an appealing platform for measurement in biological system, attributing to the combined advantages of high selectivity of the aptamer and high sensitivity of electrochemical analysis. This review summarizes the latest development of E-AB sensors, focuses on the modification strategies used in the fabrication of sensors and the sensing strategies for analytes of different sizes in biological system, and then looks forward to the challenges and prospects of the future development of electrochemical aptamer-based sensors.     

基于核酸适体的外泌体分子识别研究进展

自研究者证实外泌体承担了细胞外RNA等物质的运输功能以来, 关于外泌体来源与功能的研究一直备受关注. 近年来外泌体被发现具有作为疾病生物标志物的潜力, 使得拥有特定表面蛋白以及特定装载物的外泌体成为分析化学领域有价值的检测对象. 从化学本质角度来说, 外泌体的获取与分析需要依赖特异性的分子识别过程. 核酸适体作为分子识别单元, 因其特异性强、 亲和力高、 生物活性稳定、 易于合成和保存、 而且其序列和结构上具有可编程性, 易于设计和修饰, 已成功地用在外泌体相关的生物传感体系中. 本文从外泌体的化学组成及其具有生理、 病理意义的组分出发, 从外泌体通用生物标志物识别、癌细胞来源外泌体的检测及外泌体蛋白谱的分析这3个方面综述了以核酸适体作为分子识别单元在外泌体分析领域的代表性工作, 总结了现有的靶向外泌体的核酸适体序列信息以及应用场景, 阐述了利用化学合成与修饰以及DNA自组装等化学调控手段增强核酸适体分子识别性能的最新进展, 并从适用于外泌体分子识别的核酸适体的筛选以及化学修饰的角度, 对未来的研究方向进行了展望.     

A Biomimetic Phosphatidylcholine-Terminated Monolayer Greatly Improves the In Vivo Performance of Electrochemical Aptamer-Based Sensors

The real-time monitoring of specific analytes in situ in the living body would greatly advance our understanding of physiology and the development of personalized medicine. Because they are continuous (wash-free and reagentless) and are able to work in complex media (e.g., undiluted serum), electrochemical aptamer-based (E-AB) sensors are promising candidates to fill this role. E-AB sensors suffer, however, from often-severe baseline drift when deployed in undiluted whole blood either in vitro or in vivo. We demonstrate that cell-membrane-mimicking phosphatidylcholine (PC)-terminated monolayers improve the performance of E-AB sensors, reducing the baseline drift from around 70 % to just a few percent after several hours in flowing whole blood in vitro. With this improvement comes the ability to deploy E-AB sensors directly in situ in the veins of live animals, achieving micromolar precision over many hours without the use of physical barriers or active drift-correction algorithms.     

面向食品安全分析的核酸适配体传感技术

食品中危害因子的检测一直是国内外食品安全领域致力解决的重要问题。核酸适配体是一类通过体外筛选技术得到的单链DNA或RNA,具有特异性强、稳定性好和靶分子广等特点,因而被广泛用于食品安全检测领域。近年来,随着纳米传感技术的快速发展,互补结合适配体和纳米材料的特殊性质,可实现对靶标物质的超灵敏、高选择性及快速检测。本文总结了近年来筛选的食品危害因子适配体,综述了面向食品安全检测的基于适配体传感和纳米材料修饰的分析检测技术的进展,主要包括比色法、荧光法、电化学法以及表面等离子体共振技术,并探讨了适配体传感检测所存在的问题和未来的发展趋势。     

Optimization of electrochemical aptamer-based sensors via optimization of probe packing density and surface chemistry

Electrochemical, aptamer-based (E-AB) sensors, which are comprised of an electrode modified with surface immobilized, redox-tagged DNA aptamers, have emerged as a promising new biosensor platform. In order to further improve this technology we have systematically studied the effects of probe (aptamer) packing density, the AC frequency used to interrogate the sensor, and the nature of the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) used to passivate the electrode on the performance of representative E-AB sensors directed against the small molecule cocaine and the protein thrombin. We find that, by controlling the concentration of aptamer employed during sensor fabrication, we can control the density of probe DNA molecules on the electrode surface over an order of magnitude range. Over this range, the gain of the cocaine sensor varies from 60% to 200%, with maximum gain observed near the lowest probe densities. In contrast, over a similar range, the signal change of the thrombin sensor varies from 16% to 42% and optimal signaling is observed at intermediate densities. Above cut-offs at low hertz frequencies, neither sensor displays any significant dependence on the frequency of the alternating potential employed in their interrogation. Finally, we find that E-AB signal gain is sensitive to the nature of the alkanethiol SAM employed to passivate the interrogating electrode; while thinner SAMs lead to higher absolute sensor currents, reducing the length of the SAM from 6-carbons to 2-carbons reduces the observed signal gain of our cocaine sensor 10-fold. We demonstrate that fabrication and operational parameters can be varied to achieve optimal sensor performance and that these can serve as a basic outline for future sensor fabrication.     

Electrochemical Aptasensors for Biological and Chemical Analyte Detection

Aptamers are short length, single-stranded DNA or RNA affinity molecules which interact with any desired targets such as biomarkers, cells, biological molecules, drugs or chemicals with high sensitivity. They have been extensively employed for medical applications due to having more advantages than the antibodies such as easier preparation and modification, higher stability, lower batch-to-batch variability and cost. Moreover, aptamers can be easily integrated efficiently with sensors, biosensors, actuators and other devices. In this review article, different applications of aptamers for biological and chemical molecules detection within the scope of electrochemical methods were presented with recent studies. In addition, the present status and future perspectives for highly-effective aptasensors for specific and selective analyte detection were discussed. As in stated throughout the review, combining of extraordinary properties of aptamers with the electrochemical-based biosensors could have improved the sensitivity of the assay and reduced limit of detection.     

Aptamers as molecular recognition elements for electrical nanobiosensors

Recent advances in nanotechnology have enabled the development of nanoscale sensors that outperform conventional biosensors. This review summarizes the nanoscale biosensors that use aptamers as molecular recognition elements. The advantages of aptamers over antibodies as sensors are highlighted. These advantages are especially apparent with electrical sensors such as electrochemical sensors or those using field-effect transistors. Figure Feeling proteins with aptamer-functionalized carbon nanotubes     

Review: Carbon nanotube based electrochemical sensors for biomolecules

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been incorporated in electrochemical sensors to decrease overpotential and improve sensitivity. In this review, we focus on recent literature that describes how CNT-based electrochemical sensors are being developed to detect neurotransmitters, proteins, small molecules such as glucose, and DNA. Different types of electrochemical methods are used in these sensors including direct electrochemical detection with amperometry or voltammetry, indirect detection of an oxidation product using enzyme sensors, and detection of conductivity changes using CNT-field effect transistors (FETs). Future challenges for the field include miniaturizing sensors, developing methods to use only a specific nanotube allotrope, and simplifying manufacturing.     

脱氧核糖核酸分子设计在电化学生物传感器中的应用

基于特殊DNA序列的构型变化的电化学生物传感器是一种高灵敏、高特异性的生物分析方法.固定在电极表面的特殊DNA探针(茎环、核酸适配体、四聚体等)因为目标物质的结合而发生构型变化,从而产生可检测的电化学信号,这种策略操作简便而且特异性强,引起了研究者的广泛关注.本文总结了目前基于基因构型变化的电化学生物传感器的发展历程.     

Recent trends in the detection of freshwater cyanotoxins with a critical note on their occurrence in Asia

Cyanobacteria are highly prevalent in slow-moving and nutrient-rich water bodies due to changing climatic conditions, eutrophication, and anthropogenic activities. Toxins of cyanobacterial blooms, i.e., cyanotoxins are also increasing at alarming rates in freshwater. Several efforts are being taken to detect cyanotoxins using molecular and analytical techniques to understand their occurrence and distribution, however, these studies are discrete and localized. The detection of cyanotoxins within water bodies is a long-established challenge. In this article, conventional methods of detection and the recently used nanostructure based immuno-sensors are described. Several studies are considered where aptamers are utilised as the biorecognition probe and we have discussed their use in colorimetric, electrochemical and optical sensors for the detection of cyanotoxins. Furthermore, this article also reviews the current field deployable diagnostics for the real-time monitoring of cyanotoxins. Future work on fundamental studies, development of highly specific aptamers for recognising different congeners of cyanotoxins and the integration of sensors into portable or lab-on-a-chip devices could be interesting and useful research. Moreover, several studies related to the occurrence and distribution of cyanotoxins in the freshwater bodies of Asia are reviewed, with potential threats identified. This article also adds a note on the geographical distribution and detection of cyanotoxins in Asia. Thus, we have provided an overview of various evolving detection systems that could be employed in identified problematic underdeveloped regions to improve management strategies to monitor and control cyanotoxins.     

Topical advances in nanomaterials based electrochemical sensors for resorcinol detection

The ever-increasing environmental pollution is a severe threat to the ecosystem’s healthy sustainability, and therefore environmental monitoring of these pollutants has become a burning issue throughout the world. In recent years, cost-effective, selective, portable, sensitive, and rapid sensing devices must be developed in urgent need. Advancement in nanotechnology has urged the use of different types of nanomaterials as an excellent electrode material to amplify the electrochemical detection in terms of long-term stability and electrocatalytic activity of the electrochemical sensors in addition to fulfill the aforementioned desires. This review article intimates significant advancement in developing the enzymatic and non-enzymatic electrochemical sensors based on different nanomaterials for the detection of resorcinol (RS) in the absence or presence of other phenolic compounds. This also concludes the current associated challenges as well as future perspectives for the analysis of RS in the environment. There is plethora of reported articles on RS sensors, but this review mainly discusses the selective reports on the applications of RS sensors.     

Recent advances in electrochemical sensors for antibiotics and their applications

The abuse of antibiotics will cause an increase of drug-resistant strains and environmental pollution,which in turn will affect human health.Therefore,it is important to develop effective detection techniques to determine the level of antibiotics contamination in various fields.Compared with traditional detection methods,electrochemical sensors have received extensive attention due to their advantages such as high sensitivity,low detection limit,and good selectivity.In this mini review,we summarized the latest developments and new trends in electrochemical sensors for antibiotics.Here,modification methods and materials of electrode are discussed.We also pay more attention to the practical applications of antibiotics electrochemical sensors in different fields.In addition,the existing problems and the future challenges ahead have been proposed.We hope that this review can provide new ideas for the development of electrochemical sensors for antibiotics in the future.     

A general approach for rational design of fluorescent DNA aptazyme sensors based on target-induced unfolding of DNA hairpins

DNA aptazymes are allosteric DNAzymes activated by the targets of DNA aptamers. They take the advantages of both aptamers and DNAzymes, which can recognize specific targets with high selectivity and catalyze multiple-turnover reactions for signal amplification, respectively, and have shown their great promise in many analytical applications. So far, however, the available examples of DNA aptazyme sensors are still limited in utilizing only several DNAzymes and DNA aptamers, most likely due to the lack of a general and simple approach for rational design. Herein, we have developed such a general approach for designing fluorescent DNA aptazyme sensors. In this approach, aptamers and DNAzymes are connected at the ends to avoid any change in their original sequences, therefore enabling the general use of different aptamers and DNAzymes in the design. Upon activation of the aptazymes by the targets of interest, the rate of fluorescence enhancement via the cleavage of a dually labeled substrate by the active aptazymes is then monitored for target quantification. Two DNAzymes and two aptamers are used as examples for the design of three fluorescent aptazyme sensors, and they all show high selectivity and sensitivity for the detection of their targets. More DNA aptazyme sensors for a broader range of targets could be developed by this general approach as long as suitable DNAzymes and aptamers are used.     

Recent progress in the design of G-quadruplex–based electrochemical aptasensors

Aptamer-based electrochemical sensors are now developed for the detection of a wide variety of analytes including ions, low-molecular-weight molecules, proteins, and living cells. An aptamer-based sensor is an analytical device whose bio-sensing element (i.e. the aptamer) is immobilized on a transducer surface. Aptasensors have attracted great attention because of their high selectivity, sensitivity, and stability; they could be miniaturized and are of low production cost and offer extraordinary flexibility in the design of their assemblies. This review will emphasize recent developments of aptasensors using aptamers that are able to adopt the particular G-quadruplex (G4) conformations, which are secondary DNA structures formed from guanine-rich sequences. Indeed, G4 exhibits notable recognition properties inherent to their particular structuration.     

Ferrocene-Labelled Electroactive Aptamer-Based Sensors (Aptasensors) for Glycated Haemoglobin

Glycated haemoglobin (HbA_1c) is a diagnostic biomarker for type 2 diabetes. Traditional analytical methods for haemoglobin (Hb) detection rely on chromatography, which requires significant instrumentation and is labour-intensive; consequently, miniaturized devices that can rapidly sense HbA_1c are urgently required. With this research, we report on an aptamer-based sensor (aptasensor) for the rapid and selective electrochemical detection of HbA_1c. Aptamers that specifically bind HbA_1c and Hb were modified with a sulfhydryl and ferrocene group at the 3′ and 5′-end, respectively. The modified aptamers were coated through sulfhydryl-gold self-assembly onto screen printed electrodes, producing aptasensors with built in electroactivity. When haemoglobin was added to the electrodes, the current intensity of the ferrocene in the sensor system was reduced in a concentration-dependent manner as determined by differential pulse voltammetry. In addition, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirmed selective binding of the analytes to the aptamer-coated electrode. This research offers new insight into the development of portable electrochemical sensors for the detection of HbA_1c     

Application of MXene in Electrochemical Sensors: A Review

Electroanalysis has obtained considerable progress over the past few years, especially in the field of electrochemical sensors. Broadly speaking, electrochemical sensors include not only conventional electrochemical biosensors or non-biosensors, but also emerging electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensors and photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensors which are both combined with optical methods. In addition, various electrochemical sensing devices have been developed for practical purposes, such as multiplexed simultaneous detection of disease-related biomarkers and non-invasive body fluid monitoring. For the further performance improvement of electrochemical sensors, material is crucial. Recent years, a kind of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial MXene containing transition metal carbides, nitrides and carbonitrides, with unique structural, mechanical, electronic, optical, and thermal properties, have attracted a lot of attention form analytical chemists, and widely applied in electrochemical sensors. Here, we reviewed electrochemical sensors based on MXene from Nov. 2014 (when the first work about electrochemical sensor based on MXene published) to Mar. 2021, dividing them into different types as electrochemical biosensors, electrochemical non-biosensors, electrochemiluminescence sensors, photoelectrochemical sensors and flexible sensors. We believe this review will be of help to those who want to design or develop electrochemical sensors based on MXene, hoping new inspirations could be sparked.     

Label-free bioelectronic detection of aptamer–protein interactions

We demonstrate for the first time the utility of nucleic acid aptamers for electrochemical detection of proteins. Highly specific and sensitive label-free detection of the target protein is achieved by combining aptamer-coated magnetic beads and chronopotentiometric stripping measurements of the captured protein (in connection to the intrinsic electroactivity of the protein). Lysozyme has thus been detected selectively in a mixture containing a large excess of six proteins and amino acids (both electroactive and non-electroactive), with a detection limit of 350 fmol (7 nM). While aptamer-based electronic sensors are in their infancy, such devices offer attractive opportunities for electrochemical detection of proteins and for developing proteomic chips.     

Application of split aptamers-based sensors for the detection of small moleculesEI北大核心CSCD

The split aptamers (SPAs)-based sensors is a novel kind of biosensors, assembled by two or more oligonucleotides in the presence of specific targets. To be successfully assembled, the sensor has to be induced by a specific target, which can aviod false-positive results and thus has a high degree of specificity and sensitivity. SPAs are suitable for the detection of various targets and show great advantages and potential in the development of aptasensors, especially for the detection of small molecules. However, the development and application of SPA-based sensors still remain challenging. Currently, the major difficulty is how to improve the stability of SPA-target complexes. Herein, this review summarizes the SPAs, strategies of splitting aptamers, and their applications in the detection of small molecules, aiming to provide new ideas for the development of novel, sensitive, and specific aptasensors. © 2023, Youke Publishing Co.,Ltd. All rights reserved.     

纳米材料电化学与生物传感器——有机微污染物检测新途径

本文介绍了近年来纳米材料电化学与生物传感器在有机微污染物检测中的研究现状,分析了这些传感器中纳米材料修饰电极的特点,重点阐述了纳米材料在有机微污染物检测中的重要作用,列举了一些纳米材料电化学与生物传感器在有机微污染物检测中的应用。最后对纳米材料电化学与生物传感器用于有机微污染物的检测研究进行了简要评述和展望。