Biosensor is an important tool for clinical detection, genetic analysis, environmental monitoring, biological terror and national security defense. Recently, researchers from Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SARI-CAS) have developed a new type of Electrochemical DNA (E-DNA) sensor, which can achieve sensitive detection of target DNA. The result has been published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics(2015), pp.434-438.

In the work led by Prof. Mi Xianqiang, Dr. Zeng dongdong and other researchers worked with researchers from Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, CAS to demonstrate a novel strategy of E-DNA sensor based on DNA tetrahedral nanostructures for the sensitive detection of target DNA. The biotin-tagged three dimensional DNA tetrahedral nanostructures were employed for efficient signal amplification by capturing multiple catalytic enzymes. Such improved E-DNA sensor can sensitively detect DNA target as low as 1 fM with excellent differentiation ability for even single mismatch. Results indicated that the RTSPs-based enzyme amplification system showed much better performance than the other two typical methods, which are single-stranded DNA (SSDNA) and gold nanoparticles (GNPs). 

The project was funded by 2013 Innovation Action Plan of Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality and SARI’s Science Fund for Outstanding Young Researchers.