Electrochemiluminescence biosensor for the assay of small molecule and protein based on bifunctional aptamer and chemiluminescent functionalized gold nanoparticles

[Display omitted] ► A novel ECL biosensor based on bifunctional aptamer and ABEI-AuNPs. ► A good prospect for multi-analyte assay of small molecule and protein in biological sample. ► The sensitivity of the sensor is superior to most available aptasensors for adenosine and thrombin. ► The bifunctional aptamer was for the first time applied to ECL biosensor. An electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor for simultaneous detection of adenosine and thrombin in one sample based on bifunctional aptamer and N-(aminobutyl)- N-(ethylisoluminol) functionalized gold nanoparticles (ABEI-AuNPs) was developed. A streptavidin coated gold nanoparticles modified electrode was utilized to immobilize biotinylated bifunctional aptamer (ATA), which consisted of adenosine and thrombin aptamer. The ATA performed as recognition element of capture probe. For adenosine detection, ABEI-AuNPs labeled hybridization probe with a partial complementary sequence of ATA reacted with ATA, leading to a strong ECL response of N-(aminobutyl)- N-(ethylisoluminol) enriched on ABEI-AuNPs. After recognition of adenosine, the hybridization probe was displaced by adenosine and ECL signal declined. The decrease of ECL signal was in proportion to the concentration of adenosine over the range of 5.0 × 10 −12–5.0 × 10 −9 M with a detection limit of 2.2 × 10 −12 M. For thrombin detection, thrombin was assembled on ATA modified electrode via aptamer–target recognition, another aptamer of thrombin tagged with ABEI-AuNPs was bounded to another reactive site of thrombin, producing ECL signals. The ECL intensity was linearly with the concentration of thrombin from 5 × 10 −14 M to 5 × 10 −10 M with a detection limit of 1.2 × 10 −14 M. In the ECL biosensor, adenosine and thrombin can be detected when they coexisted in one sample and a multi-analytes assay was established. The sensitivity of the present biosensor is superior to most available aptasensors for adenosine and thrombin. The biosensor also showed good selectivity towards the targets. Being challenged in real plasma sample, the biosensor was confirmed to be a good prospect for multi-analytes assay of small molecules and proteins in biological samples.