Selective DNA detection at Zeptomole level based on coulometric measurement of gold nanoparticle-mediated electron transfer across a self-assembled monolayer

A selective DNA sensing with zeptomole detection level is developed based on coulometric measurement of gold nanoparticle （AuNPs）-mediated electron transfer （ET） across a self-assembled monolayer on the gold electrode. After immobilization of a thiolated hairpin-structured DNA probe, an alkanethiol monolayer was self-assembled on the resultant electrode to block [Fe（CN）6]3-/4 in a solution from accessing the electrode. In the presence of DNA target, hybridization between the DNA probe and the DNA target breaks the stem duplex of DNA probe. Consequently, stem moiety at the 3＇-end of the DNA probes was removed from the electrode surface and made available for hybridization with the reporter DNA-AuNPs conjugates （reporter DNA-AuNPs）. The thiolated reporter DNA matches the stem moiety at the 3＇-end of the DNA probe. AuNPs were then en- larged by immersing the electrode in a growth solution containing HAuCI4 and H202 after the reporter DNA-AuNPs bound onto the electrode surface. The enlarged AuNPs on the electrode restored the ET between the electrode and the [Fe（CN）6]3 -/4-, as a result, amplified signals were achieved for DNA target detection using the coulometric measurement of Fe（CN）63- elec- tro-reduction by prolonging the electrolysis time. The quantities of ET on the DNA sensor increased with the increase in DNA target concentration through a linear range of 3.0 fM to 1.0 pM when electrolysis time was set to 300 s, and the detection limit was 1.0 fM. Correspondingly, thousands of DNA （zeptomole） copies were detected in 10-μL samples. Furthermore, the DNA sensor showed excellent differentiation ability for single-base mismatch.