A label-free electrochemical RNA aptamer for selective detection of theophylline

In this work, we report a novel electrochemical RNA aptamer for the selective detection of theophylline. Firstly, gold nanoparticles were electrodeposited on the surface of glassy carbon (GC) electrode to form a gold nanoparticles modified electrode. Secondly, the designed single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) was immobilized on gold nanoparticles through a thiol linker as a probe RNA. Then, the complement stranded RNA, which can combine with the probe ssRNA to form a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) with a recognition unit of theophylline, was linked on the probe RNA through a hybrid reaction in the presence of theophylline. Doxorubicin was selected as an electrochemical indicator. The proposed RNA aptamer presents an excellent selectivity for the detection of theophylline. The detectable concentration range of theophylline is from 2.0 to 50.0 μM with a limit of detection of 1.2 μM.