Elsevier

Talanta

Volume 74, Issue 3, 15 December 2007, Pages 318-325
Talanta

Review
Nanomaterial-based electrochemical DNA sensing strategies

In honor of Prof. Joseph Wang's 60th birthday who is the pioneer of electrochemical (bio)sensors.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.talanta.2007.10.012Get rights and content

Abstract

DNA sensing strategies have recently been varieted with the number of attempts at the development of different biosensor devices based on nanomaterials, which will further become DNA microchip systems. The investigations at the side of material science in connection with electrochemical biosensors open new directions for detection of specific gene sequences, and nucleic acid–ligand interactions.

An overview is reported here about nanomaterial-based electrochemical DNA sensing strategies principally performed for the analysis of specific DNA sequences and the quantification of nucleic acids. Important features of electrochemical DNA sensing strategies, along with new developments based on nanomaterials are described and discussed.

Introduction

Recent progress in biosensing technologies based on nanomaterials has resulted by the development of several novel sensor devices with their challenging applications. Modern biomedical sensors developed with advanced microfabrication and signal processing approaches are becoming inexpensive, accurate, and reliable. This progress in miniature devices and instrumentation development will significantly impact the practice of medical care as well as future advances in the biomedical industry [1]. Electrochemical, optical, and acoustic wave sensing technologies have currently emerged as some of the most promising biosensor technologies.

The use of nucleic acid technologies has significantly improved preparation and diagnostic procedures in life sciences. Various combination of DNA associated with different types of transducers are an attractive subject of research. Nucleic acid layers combined with electrochemical or optical transducers produce a new kind of affinity biosensors as DNA biosensor for small molecular weight molecules [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]. The detection of DNA has a particular interest in genetics, pathology, criminology, pharmacogenetics, food safety and many other fields.

After discovery of electroactivity in nucleic acids at the beginning of the 1960s [7], many approaches in combination with electrochemical nucleic acid sensors have been developed for analyzing or quantification of nucleic acids and DNA interactions and recognition events in solution and at solid substrates [1], [2], [3], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25], [26], [27], [28], [29], [30], [31]. Electrochemical DNA biosensors are attractive devices especially for converting DNA hybridization event into an analytical signal for obtaining sequence-specific information in connection with clinical, environmental or forensic investigations. Such fast on-site monitoring schemes are required for quick preventive action and early diagnosis.

Nucleic acid hybridization is a process in which inconsonant nucleic acid strands with specific organization of nucleotide bases exhibiting complementary pairing with each other under specific given reaction conditions, thus forms a stable duplex molecule. This phenomenon is possible because of the biochemical property of base pairing, which allows fragments of known sequences to find complementary matching sequences in an unknown DNA sample [6]. An increasing interest has appeared in the development of simple, rapid and user-friendly electrochemical detection systems based on DNA sequence and mutant gene analysis, for instance early and precise diagnosis of infectious agents, for routine clinical tests [8], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [23], [29]. Thus, DNA hybridization biosensors can be employed for determining early diagnoses of infectious agents in various environments [1], [2] and these devices can be exploited for monitoring sequence-specific hybridization events directly [9], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17] based on the oxidation signal of guanine/adenine or using DNA intercalators (some antibiotics, metal coordination complexes, etc.) which contain several aromatic condensed rings and often bind dsDNA in an intercalative mode [8], [18], [19], [21], [23], [27], [29], [30].

Material science has recently a growing interest since it can present the possibilities how to apply novel materials from micro- to nanoscales, such as nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires into optical, electrical, magnetic, chemical and biological applications [32], [33], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38], [39], [40], [41], [42], [43], [44]. The novel surfaces modified with nanomaterials have recently presented an excellent prospect for biological recognition surfaces in order to develop a more selective and sensitive DNA sensor technology.

In the following section, the important features of electrochemical DNA sensing strategies, along with new developments based on nanomaterials are described and discussed.

Section snippets

Nanomaterial-based electrochemical DNA sensing strategies

Progress in synthesis and characterization of nanostructured materials and continuously emerging nanotechnologies promise dramatic changes in sensor design and their capabilities. Various nanostructured and advanced electronic materials with remarkable electrical, optical, and mechanical properties have recently been developed, with numerous unique applications [45].

Electrochemical DNA biosensors can normally be employed for determining the possible interaction between drug and DNA, or early

Conclusions and future perspectives

Nanotechnology refers to research and technology development at the atomic, molecular, and macromolecular scale, leading to the controlled manipulation and study of structures and devices with length scales from 1 to 100 nm range [65]. Nanomaterials have unique chemical and physical properties that offer important possibilities for analytical chemistry. For example, nanoparticles represent an excellent biocompatibility with biomolecules, and display unique structural, electronic, magnetic,

Congratulations

I feel very, very lucky to have been able to work with Prof. Wang at his senso-chip lab. His outstanding example of scientific excellence allows us always to work in a successful and challenging atmosphere. In addition, his happy and friendly personality encourages us to join with the scientific community in becoming a good and close friend.

I would like to congratulate Prof. Wang on his 60th birthday and I wish him with his family more and more wonderful years filled with health, happiness and

Acknowledgements

A.E. acknowledges the financial support from TUBITAK (project no. TUBITAK-106S181) and she would also like to express her gratitude to the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TUBA) for their support as the associate member of TUBA.

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