基于杂交链式反应辅助多重信号放大的端粒酶灵敏检测

端粒酶是真核细胞维持端粒长度的关键逆转录酶,其生物活性的高低可以为多种癌症的临床诊断和预后治疗提供有价值的信息.本研究以人宫颈癌细胞(HeLa细胞)裂解液中的端粒酶为研究对象,通过借助杂交链式反应辅助多重信号放大策略,提出了一种新颖、灵敏的检测端粒酶电化学方法.首先将端粒酶的延伸引物自组装在金电极表面,当端粒酶存在时,端粒酶能够催化引物的延伸,产生与发卡环探针H1部分互补的序列,进而引发杂交链式反应,形成由两个发卡环探针(H1和H2)交替杂交而形成的DNA长链.由于H1和H2末端均修饰有生物素,加入链霉亲和素修饰辣根过氧化物酶后,辣根过氧化物酶被被连接到电极表面,催化邻苯二胺氧化生成2,3-二氨基吩嗪,产生显著的电化学信号.实验结果表明,本研究建立的端粒酶电化学检测方法高效、可行,线性范围宽,灵敏度高,可以检测每毫升10个HeLa细胞裂解液中的端粒酶.本方法具有较好的选择性,能有效区分端粒酶和对照蛋白.     

功能化纳米金增强的DNA电化学检测和序列分析

用冠以大量二茂铁的纳米金微粒 /抗生蛋白链菌素结合物为标记物 ,将其标记于生物素修饰的寡聚核苷酸片段上 ,制成了具有电化学活性和纳米金放大作用的DNA电化学生物传感器 .首先采用巯基DNA和巯基烷烃混合自组装膜制备了金修饰电极 ,将探针DNA分子固定在了电极表面 ,运用杂交原则结合靶点分子在电极表面形成了双螺旋的DNA链 ,然后借助抗生蛋白链菌素和生物素之间的强亲和作用 ,引入了功能化的纳米金 .通过伏安法测定了修饰在纳米金上的二茂铁的氧化还原电流 ,可以识别和测定溶液中互补的靶点DNA ,17 mer靶点DNA的浓度在 0 .0 0 1～ 10nmol/L范围内有线性关系 ,检测限可达 0 .75× 10 -12 mol/L .     

基于杂交链式反应信号放大和磁分离技术荧光检测端粒酶活性

端粒酶是由RNA和蛋白质组成的一种核糖核蛋白酶, 它一般在癌细胞中被激活. 它与端粒DNA的不断复制以及癌细胞的不断增殖密切相关. 所以检测端粒酶的活性对癌症的早期诊断以及以端粒酶为靶标分子的抗癌药物的开发具有重要意义. 利用杂交链式反应(HCR)无酶放大检测信号, 建立了一种简单、快速的端粒酶活性检测方法. 端粒酶延伸产物是一条末端具有(ggttag)_n重复序列的DNA. 在实验过程中, 通过链霉亲合素与生物素的特异性作用将端粒酶延伸产物连接在磁性微球上. 设计一条端粒酶延伸产物特异性的DNA探针I作为杂交链式反应的引发探针. DNA探针I的3'-端与端粒酶延伸产物的重复序列匹配, 通过杂交, DNA探针I被固定在磁球上; DNA探针I的5'-端引发DNA探针II和探针III发生杂交链式反应. DNA探针II和探针III上都标记有荧光基团, 可以利用荧光直接进行信号检测. 在反应过程中, 通过磁分离去除多余未反应的三种DNA探针. 在优化条件下, 可以检测到1.0×10⁵个Hela细胞中的端粒酶活性. 该方法简单、快速、检测成本低, 分析全程无酶参与, 在肿瘤或癌症的临床诊断以及以端粒酶为靶标分子的抗癌药物的筛选上具有广阔的应用前景.     

采用电活性标记物N-(2-乙基-二茂铁)马来酰亚胺检测与表面固定的 一致性双链DNA特异性作用的p53蛋白质

建立了电化学检测表面固定捕获的野生型p53蛋白质的方法. 首先在金电极表面形成巯基化的单链DNA探针/己硫醇(HT)混合自组装膜, 随后巯基化的单链DNA探针与溶液中序列匹配的靶点DNA杂交, 所形成的一致性双链DNA捕获溶液中的野生型p53蛋白质. p53分子表面的半胱氨酸残基采用巯基特异性试剂N-(2-乙基-二茂铁)马来酰亚胺(Fc-Mi)进行衍生. 通过检测二茂铁的电化学信号来指示p53与一致性双链DNA之间的特异性相互作用. p53蛋白质与双链DNA的键合程度取决于双链DNA的序列. 该方法可检测的p53最低浓度为1.33 nmol•L－1.     

基于链置换循环无标记检测端立酶RNA的荧光法

以氧化石墨烯(GO)作为DNA载体和荧光猝灭剂,SYBRGreen Ⅰ(SGⅠ)为荧光信号探针,发夹核酸探针为分子识别探针,基于目标物启动的发夹核酸探针链置换循环反应,建立了一种利用荧光共振能量转移和链置换循环放大技术检测端粒酶RNA (hTR)的荧光新方法.发夹核酸探针hpDNA1和hpDNA2吸附在GO表面,嵌插在发夹DNA探针茎部的SG Ⅰ的荧光信号被GO猝灭.当人工合成的目标物(T1)存在时,T1与hpDNA1杂交打开hpDNA1的茎-环结构而引发hpDNA2与T1之间的链置换循环反应,由此累积产生大量的hpDNA1/hpDNA2杂交双链.刚性的双链DNA脱离GO表面,导致所嵌插的SG Ⅰ产生较强的荧光信号.基于荧光信号的变化,可定量检测0.2～50 nmoL/L的T1,检出限为90 pmol/L.该方法为端粒酶RNA检测提供了一种高灵敏、高特异性且无需标记的荧光新途径.     

基于链置换循环无标记检测端粒酶RNA的荧光法

以氧化石墨烯(GO)作为DNA载体和荧光猝灭剂, SYBR Green Ⅰ(SGⅠ)为荧光信号探针, 发夹核酸探针为分子识别探针, 基于目标物启动的发夹核酸探针链置换循环反应, 建立了一种利用荧光共振能量转移和链置换循环放大技术检测端粒酶RNA(hTR)的荧光新方法. 发夹核酸探针hpDNA1和hpDNA2吸附在GO表面, 嵌插在发夹DNA探针茎部的SGⅠ的荧光信号被GO猝灭. 当人工合成的目标物(T1)存在时, T1与hpDNA1杂交打开hpDNA1的茎-环结构而引发hpDNA2与T1之间的链置换循环反应, 由此累积产生大量的hpDNA1/hpDNA2杂交双链. 刚性的双链DNA脱离GO表面, 导致所嵌插的SGⅠ产生较强的荧光信号. 基于荧光信号的变化, 可定量检测0.2~50 nmol/L的T1, 检出限为90 pmol/L. 该方法为端粒酶RNA检测提供了一种高灵敏、 高特异性且无需标记的荧光新途径.     

无标记电化学生物传感平台用于癌胚抗原的检测

基于目标物诱导DNA杂交链式反应(HCR)及银纳米颗粒(Ag NPs)自组装过程构建了无标记型电化学生物传感平台,并将其应用于癌胚抗原(CEA)的检测.在目标物存在的情况下,适配体对CEA进行特异性识别并结合,释放出与之互补的触发DNA链(t DNA).该t DNA能够被金电极上的捕获探针(c DNA)捕获,并启动HCR过程,使得两条发夹DNA链被相继打开并串联成长的DNA双链结构,带正电的Ag NPs通过与该DNA结构之间的静电作用大量自组装到电极表面,并产生强的电化学信号.在优化的实验条件下,该电化学生物传感平台能够在0.5 ng·L~(-1)到50μg·L~(-1)的浓度范围内实现对CEA的良好响应.     

纳米金-Nafion修饰金电极电化学阻抗法测定人端粒DNA

报道了基于纳米金-Nafion修饰金电极检测人端粒DNA的电化学阻抗传感器。将纳米金与Nafion混合超声得到纳米金-Nafion纳米材料,将此纳米材料滴涂于金电极表面获得纳米金-Nafion修饰电极。再将探针人端粒ss DNA滴涂在修饰电极上制备电化学阻抗传感器。利用扫描显微镜对纳米材料的形貌进行了表征。利用循环伏安法和电化学阻抗法对传感器进行了表征及目标人端粒DNA的定量测定。在最优化实验条件下,电化学阻抗传感器响应信号(ΔRet)与目标人端粒DNA浓度的对数(lgc)在0.001~1.0 nmol/L范围内呈良好线性关系。检出限为3.0 pmol/L。对0.5 nmol/L的目标人端粒DNA 7次平行测定,相对标准偏差RSD为3.5%。     

检测痕量Hg~(2+)的DNA电化学生物传感器

通过自组装方法将修饰有二茂铁基团的富T序列DNA分子(DNA-Fc)固定在金电极表面,得到了一种基于DNA修饰电极的电化学汞离子(Hg2+)传感器.当溶液中有Hg2+存在时,Hg2+可与修饰电极上DNA的T碱基发生较强的特异结合,形成T-Hg2+-T发卡结构,使DNA分子构象发生改变,其末端具有电化学活性的二茂铁基团远离电极表面,电化学响应随之发生变化.示差脉冲伏安法(DPV)结果显示:DNA末端二茂铁基团的还原峰在0.26V(vs饱和甘汞电极(SCE))附近,峰电流随溶液中Hg2+浓度的增加而降低;Hg2+浓度范围在0.1nmol·L-1-1μmol·L-1时,电流相对变化率与Hg2+浓度的对数呈现良好的线性关系.该修饰电极对Hg2+的检测限为0.1nmol·L-1,可作为痕量Hg2+检测的电化学生物传感器.干扰实验也表明,该传感器对Hg2+具有良好的特异性与灵敏度.     

基于计时库仑技术的可再生型三磷酸腺苷适配体电化学传感器的研究

构建了一种可再生型三磷酸腺苷(ATP)适配体计时库仑电化学传感器.将一条短链DNA通过AuS键自组装固定在电极表面, ATP的核酸适配体与该短链DNA杂交而结合在电极表面.带负电的DNA通过静电吸引结合电解液中的六氨合钌(RuHex)阳离子.当传感器和靶分子ATP孵育后,ATP与核酸适配体结合,使适配体链从电极表面解离,电极表面吸附的DNA量减少,结合RuHex的量随之降低.通过计时库仑技术检测RuHex响应信号降低的量 ,可以对ATP进行定量测定.此传感器的电化学响应信号与ATP浓度对数值呈线性关系,线性检测范围为0.001~100 μmol/L,检出限(S/N=3)为0.5 nmol/L.此传感器检测靶分子ATP后,可以通过简单的操作步骤再生,再生5次后的响应信号为初始信号的90%以上.采用此传感器检测大鼠脑透析液中ATP的含量为(19.2±3.7) nmol/L (n=3).     

PCR-free electrochemical assay of telomerase activity

In this paper, we report a non-PCR-based electrochemical assay that can detect telomerase activity. Telomerase from HeLa cells may induce telomerization of thiolated primers immobilized on a gold electrode surface. With the telomerization reaction, more and more guanine-rich telomeric repeats are formed, so the electrochemical oxidation signal of guanine at about 1.00 V, which is utilized to indicate the elongated guanine-rich telomeric repeats tethered to the primers, will be increased. This assay method can detect the telomerase activity originated from 3000 HeLa cells and thus holds promise as a simple and sensitive approach in clinical diagnosis of cancer.     

An Electrochemical Aptasensor for Detection of Thrombin based on Target Protein‐induced Strand Displacement

A sensitive electrochemical aptasensor for detection of thrombin based on target protein‐induced strand displacement is presented. For this proposed aptasensor, dsDNA which was prepared by the hybridization reaction of the immobilized probe ssDNA (IP) containing thiol group and thrombin aptamer base sequence was initially immobilized on the Au electrode by self‐assembling via Au? S bind, and a single DNA labeled with CdS nanoparticles (DP‐CdS) was used as a detection probe. When the so prepared dsDNA modified Au electrode was immersed into a solution containing target protein and DP‐CdS, the aptamer in the dsDNA preferred to form G‐quarter structure with the present target protein resulting that the dsDNA sequence released one single strand and returned to IP strand which consequently hybridized with DP‐CdS. After dissolving the captured CdS particles from the electrode, a mercury‐film electrode was used for electrochemical detection of these Cd²⁺ ions which offered sensitive electrochemical signal transduction. The peak current of Cd²⁺ ions had a good linear relationship with the thrombin concentration in the range of 2.3×10^?9–2.3×10^?12 mol/L and the detection limit was 4.3×10^?13 mol/L of thrombin. The detection was also specific for thrombin without being affected by the coexistence of other proteins, such as BSA and lysozyme.     

Molecular beacon mediated circular strand displacement strategy for constructing a ratiometric electrochemical deoxyribonucleic acid sensor

A novel ratiometric electrochemical sensor for sensitive and selective determination of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) had been developed based on signal-on and signal-off strategy. The target DNA hybridized with the loop portion of ferrocene (Fc) labeled hairpin probe immobilized on the gold electrode (GE), the Fc away from the surface of GE and the methylene blue (MB) was attached to an electrode surface by hybridization between hairpin probe and MB labeled primer. Such conformational changes resulted in the oxidation peak current of Fc decreased and that of MB increased, and the changes of dual signals are linear with the concentration of DNA. Furthermore, with the help of strand-displacement polymerization, polymerase catalyzed the extension of the primer and the sequential displacement of the target DNA, which led to the release of target and another polymerization cycle. Thus the circular strand displacement produced the multiplication of the MB confined near the GE surface and Fc got away from the GE surface. Therefore, the recognition of target DNA resulted in both the “signal-off” of Fc and the “signal-on” of MB for dual-signal electrochemical ratiometric readout. The dual signal strategy offered a dramatic enhancement of the stripping response. The dynamic range of the target DNA detection was from 10⁻¹³ to 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ with a detection limit down to 28 fM level. Compared with the single signaling electrochemical sensor, the dual-signaling electrochemical sensing strategy developed in this paper was more selective. It would have important applications in the sensitive and selective electrochemical determination of other small molecules and proteins.     

DNA analysis by application of Pt nanoparticle electrochemical amplification with single label response

This study demonstrates a highly sensitive sensing scheme for the detection of low concentrations of DNA, in principle down to the single biomolecule level. The previously developed technique of electrochemical current amplification for detection of single nanoparticle (NP) collisions at an ultramicroelectrode (UME) has been employed to determine DNA. The Pt NP/Au UME/hydrazine oxidation reaction was employed, and individual NP collision events were monitored. The Pt NP was modified with a 20-base oligonucleotide with a C6 spacer thiol (detection probe), and the Au UME was modified with a 16-base oligonucleotide with a C6 spacer thiol (capture probe). The presence of a target oligonucleotide (31 base) that hybridized with both capture and detection probes brought a Pt NP on the electrode surface, where the resulting electrochemical oxidation of hydrazine resulted in a current response.     

Assistant deoxyribonucleic acid recycling with Zn and molecular beacon for electrochemical detection of deoxyribonucleic acid via target-triggered assembly of mutated DNAzyme

A novel enzyme-free amplification strategy was designed for sensitive electrochemical detection of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) based on Zn²⁺ assistant DNA recycling via target-triggered assembly of mutated DNAzyme. A gold electrode was used to immobilize molecular beacon (MB) as the recognition probe and perform the amplification procedure. In the presence of target DNA, the hairpin probe 1 was opened, and the DNAzyme was liberated from the caged structure. The activated DNAzyme first hybridized and then cleaved the MB in the presence of cofactor Zn²⁺. After cleavage, the MB was cleaved into two pieces and the ferrocene (Fc) labeled piece dissociated from the gold electrode, thus obviously decreasing the Fc signal and forming a free DNAzyme strand. Finally, each target-induced activated DNAzyme underwent many cycles to trigger the cleavage of many MB substrates. Therefore, the peak current of Fc dramatically decreased to approximately zero. The strategy showed a detection limit at 35 fM levels, which was about 2 orders of magnitude lower than that of the conventional hybridization without Zn²⁺-based amplification. The Zn²⁺ assistant DNA recycling offers a versatile platform for DNA detection in a cost-effective manner, and has a promising application in clinical diagnosis.     

Enzyme-free surface plasmon resonance aptasensor for amplified detection of adenosine via target-triggering strand displacement cycle and Au nanoparticles

Herein, we combine the advantage of aptamer technique with the amplifying effect of an enzyme-free signal-amplification and Au nanoparticles (NPs) to design a sensitive surface plasmon resonance (SPR) aptasensor for detecting small molecules. This detection system consists of aptamer, detection probe (c-DNA1) partially hybridizing to the aptamer strand, Au NPs-linked hairpin DNA (Au-H-DNA1), and thiolated hairpin DNA (H-DNA2) previously immobilized on SPR gold chip. In the absence of target, the H-DNA1 possessing hairpin structure cannot hybridize with H-DNA2 and thereby Au NPs will not be captured on the SPR gold chip surface. Upon addition of target, the detection probe c-DNA1 is forced to dissociate from the c-DNA1/aptamer duplex by the specific recognition of the target to its aptamer. The released c-DNA1 hybridizes with Au-H-DNA1 and opens the hairpin structure, which accelerate the hybridization between Au-H-DNA1 and H-DNA2, leading to the displacement of the c-DNA1 through a branch migration process. The released c-DNA1 then hybridizes with another Au-H-DNA1 probe, and the cycle starts anew, resulting in the continuous immobilization of Au-H-DNA1 probes on the SPR chip, generating a significant change of SPR signal due to the electronic coupling interaction between the localized surface plasma of the Au NPs and the surface plasma wave. With the use of adenosine as a proof-of-principle analyte, this sensing platform can detect adenosine specifically with a detection limit as low as 0.21 pM, providing a simple, sensitive and selective protocol for small target molecules detection.     

Sequence Specific Electrochemical DNA Detection Based on Solution‐Phase Competitive Hybridization

We report a novel electrochemical method for detecting sequence‐specific DNA based on competitive hybridization that occurs in a homogeneous solution phase instead of on a solution‐electrode interface as in previously reported competition‐based electrochemical DNA detection schemes. The method utilizes the competition between the target DNA (t‐DNA) and a ferrocene‐labeled peptide nucleic acid probe (Fc‐PNA) to hybridize with a probe DNA (p‐DNA) in solution. The neutral PNA backbone and the electrostatic repulsion between the negatively‐charged DNA backbone and the negatively‐charged electrode surface are then exploited to determine the result of the competition through measurement of the electrochemical signal of Fc. Upon the introduction of the t‐DNA, the stronger hybridization affinity between the t‐DNA and p‐DNA releases the Fc‐PNA from the Fc‐PNA/p‐DNA hybrid, allowing it to freely diffuse to the negatively charged electrode to produce a significantly enhanced electrochemical signal of Fc. Therefore, the presence of the t‐DNA is indicated by the appearance or enhancement of the electrochemical signal, rendering a signal‐on DNA detection, which is less susceptible to false positive and can produce more reliable results than signal‐off detection methods. All the competitive hybridizations occur in a homogeneous solution phase, resulting in very high hybridization efficiency and therefore extremely short assay time. This simple and fast signal‐on solution‐competition‐based electrochemical DNA detection strategy has promising potential to find application in fields such as nucleic acid‐based point‐of‐care testing.     

Real Time Electrochemical Monitoring of DNA/PNA Dissociation by Melting Curve Analysis

An immobilization‐free electrochemical method is reported for real‐time monitoring of the DNA hybrid dissociation between a ferrocene labeled peptide nucleic acid (PNA) and a fully‐complementary or single‐base‐mismatched DNA. This method takes advantages of electrostatic charge characteristics and interactions among the neutrally charged PNA, the negatively charged DNA and the negatively charged electrode surface made of indium tin oxide (ITO). When a ferrocene labeled PNA (Fc‐PNA) sequence is hybridized to a complementary DNA strand, electrostatic repulsion between the negatively charged PNA/DNA hybrid and the negative ITO surface retards the diffusion of the electroactive Fc to the electrode, resulting in a much reduced electrochemical signal. On the other hand, when the Fc‐PNA is dissociated from the hybrid at elevated temperatures, the neutrally charged Fc‐PNA easily diffuses to the electrode with an enhanced electrochemical signal. Therefore, an electrochemical melting curve of the Fc‐PNA/DNA hybrid can be obtained by measuring the Fc signal with the increasing temperature. This strategy allows monitoring of the dissociation of the DNA hybrid in real time, which might lead to a simple detection method for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis.     

Highly sensitive electrochemical detection of mercury (II) via single ion-induced three-way junction of DNA

A “signal-on” electrochemical sensing strategy was designed for highly sensitive and selective detection of mercury (II) via its induction to three-way junction of DNA (DNA-TWJ). The TWJ consisted of the capture probe that was self-assembled on a gold electrode surface through SAu bond, the signal probe that was labeled with ferrocene (Fc) and contained single T–T mismatch to capture probe, and an assistant probe for the formation of DNA-TWJ upon the presence of mercury (II). This process caused the Fc tag approaching the electrode for fast electron transfer and thus increased the oxidation current. The “signal-on” sensing method could detect Hg^2 + ranging from 0.005 to 100 nM. The assay was simple and fast. It showed potential application in on-site and real-time Hg^2 + detection.