Crystallization of DNA‐Capped Gold Nanoparticles in High‐Concentration,Divalent Salt Environments

The multiparametric nature of nanoparticle self‐assembly makes it challenging to circumvent the instabilities that lead to aggregation and achieve crystallization under extreme conditions. By using non‐base‐pairing DNA as a model ligand instead of the typical base‐pairing design for programmability, long‐range 2D DNA–gold nanoparticle crystals can be obtained at extremely high salt concentrations and in a divalent salt environment. The interparticle spacings in these 2D nanoparticle crystals can be engineered and further tuned based on an empirical model incorporating the parameters of ligand length and ionic strength.     

Increasing Hybridization Rate and Sensitivity of Bead‐Based Assays Using Isotachophoresis

We present an electrokinetic technique to increase the reaction rate and sensitivity of bead‐based assays. We use isotachophoresis (ITP) to preconcentrate and co‐focus target molecules and beads into a single ITP zone. The process achieves rapid mixing, stirring, and strongly increases the binding reaction rate. We demonstrate our assay with quantitative detection of 24 nt single‐stranded DNA over a dynamic range of three orders of magnitude and multiplexed detection of ten target species per sample. We show that ITP can achieve approximately the same sensitivity as a well‐stirred standard reaction in 60‐fold reduced reaction time (20 min versus 20 h). Alternately, compared to standard reaction times of 30 min, we show that 20 min ITP hybridization can achieve 5.3‐fold higher sensitivity.     

Rationalizing the Structural Variability of the Exocyclic Amino Groups in Nucleobases and Their Metal Complexes: Cytosine and Adenine

The exocyclic amino groups of cytosine and adenine nucleobases are normally almost flat, with the N atoms essentially sp² hybridized and the lone pair largely delocalized into the heterocyclic rings. However, a change to marked pyramidality of the amino group (N then sp³ hybridized, lone pair essentially localized at N) occurs during i) involvement of an amino proton in strong hydrogen bonding donor conditions or ii) with monofunctional metal coordination following removal of one of the two protons.     

Fabrication and characterization of gold nano particles for DNA biosensor applications

This research involves the preparation of a biosensor using silicon oxide for biomedical applications, and its effective use for the detection of target DNA hybridization. An electrochemical DNA biosensor was successfully fabricated by using(3-aminopropyl) tri-ethoxysilane(APTES) as a linker molecule combined with gold nanoparticles(GNPs) on a thermally oxidized SiO_2 thin film. The size of the GNPs was calculated by utilizing UV–vis data with an average calculated particle size within the range of 30±5 nm, and characterization by transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and atomic force microscopy(AFM). The GNP-modified SiO_2 thin films were electrically characterized through the measurement of capacitance, permittivity and conductivity using a low-cost dielectric analyzer. The capacitance, permittivity and conductivity profiles of the fabricated sensor clearly differentiated DNA immobilization and hybridization.     

Nucleic Acid Biosensor for Detection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Using Aquabis(1,10‐phenanthroline)copper(II) Perchlorate as Electrochemical Indicator

The electrochemical behavior of aquabis(1,10‐phenanthroline)copper(II) perchlorate [Cu(H₂O)(phen)₂]·2ClO₄, where phen=1,10‐phenanthroline, on binding to DNA at a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and in solution, was described. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) results showed that [Cu(H₂O)(phen)₂]²⁺ had excellent electrochemical activity on the GCE with a couple of quasi‐reversible redox peaks. The interaction mode between [Cu(H₂O)(phen)₂]²⁺ and double‐strand DNA (dsDNA) was identified to be intercalative binding. An electrochemical DNA biosensor was developed with covalent immobilization of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) probe for single‐strand DNA (ssDNA) on the modified GCE. Numerous factors affecting the probe immobilization, target hybridization, and indicator binding reactions were optimized to maximize the sensitivity and speed of the assay. With this approach, a sequence of the HIV could be quantified over the range from 7.8×10^?9 to 3.1×10^?7 mol·L^?1 with a linear correlation of γ=0.9987 and a detection limit of 1.3×10^?9 mol·L^?1.     

Electrochemical Detection of DNA Hybridization Based on the Probe Labeled with Carbon‐Nanotubes Loaded with Silver Nanoparticles

A sensitive electrochemical method for the detection of DNA hybridization based on the probe labeled with multiwall carbon‐nanotubes (MWNTs) loaded with silver nanoparticles (Ag‐MWNTs) has been developed. MWNTs were electroless‐plated with a large number of silver nanoparticles to form Ag‐MWNTs. Probe single strand DNA (ss‐DNA) with a thiol group at the 3′‐terminal labeled with Ag‐MWNTs by self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) technique was employed as an electrochemical probe. Target ss‐DNA with a thiol group was immobilized on a gold electrode by SAM technique and then hybridized with the electrochemical probe. Binding events were monitored by differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) signal of silver nanoparticles. The signal difference permitted to distinguish the match of two perfectly complementary DNA strands from the near perfect match where just three base pairs were mismatched. There was a linear relation between the peak current at +120 mV (vs. SCE) and complementary target ss‐DNA concentration over the range from 3.1×10^?14 to 1.0×10^?11 mol/L with a detection limit of 10 fmol/L of complementary target ss‐DNA. The proposed method has been successfully applied to detection of the DNA sequence related to cystic fibrosis. This work demonstrated that the MWNTs loaded with silver nanoparticles offers a great promising approach for sensitive detection of DNA hybridization.