Field-effect sensors with charged macromolecules: Characterisation by capacitance–voltage, constant-capacitance, impedance spectroscopy and atomic-force microscopy methods

The hot-wire concept: Towards a one-element thermal biosensor platform

In this work, the 3ω hot-wire concept is explored as a prospective biosensing platform with a single sensing element that can detect analytes based on a change in the thermal interface conductance. A uniform receptor layer such as single-stranded DNA is immobilized on a thin aluminium wire, which serves not only as an immobilization platform but also as a heating element and temperature sensor together. The wire is heated periodically with an alternating current (angular frequency ω) and the third harmonic (frequency 3ω) of the voltage across the wire renders the efficiency of heat transfer from the wire to the surrounding medium. The amplitude of the 3ω voltage depends sensitively on the composition and conformation of the biofunctional interface layer. We illustrate this with a model system that includes blank aluminium wires, wires with silanes bound covalently to the native surface oxide, and with single-, respectively double-stranded DNA tethered to the silanes. The difference in heat-transfer due to these coatings is significant and measurable not only in a liquid but also in air. Based on this proof-of-concept, various applications come in sight such as mutation analysis and analyte detection with aptamers or molecularly-imprinted polymers as receptors. Wire materials other than aluminium are possible as well and the concept is suitable for miniaturization and parallelization.

Capacitive Field-Effect EIS Chemical Sensors and Biosensors: A Status Report

Electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) field-effect sensors belong to a new generation of electronic chips for biochemical sensing, enabling a direct electronic readout. The review gives an overview on recent advances and current trends in the research and development of chemical sensors and biosensors based on the capacitive field-effect EIS structure—the simplest field-effect device, which represents a biochemically sensitive capacitor. Fundamental concepts, physicochemical phenomena underlying the transduction mechanism and application of capacitive EIS sensors for the detection of pH, ion concentrations, and enzymatic reactions, as well as the label-free detection of charged molecules (nucleic acids, proteins, and polyelectrolytes) and nanoparticles, are presented and discussed.

Label-free real-time optical monitoring of DNA hybridization using SiN Mach-Zehnder interferometer-based integrated biosensing platform

We report on the label-free real-time optical monitoring of DNA hybridization upon exposure to a flow of complementary DNA at different concentrations. The biosensor is composed of a silicon nitride integrated unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI), with an integrated arrayed waveguide grating as a spectral filter. This MZI has been shown to have both sufficient multiplexing capability and limit of detection on the order of 10  -  6 RIU. Probe DNA, consisting of a 36-mer fragment is covalently immobilized on the silicon nitride integrated biosensor. The wavelength shift is monitored upon complementary DNA targets being flown over the sensor. Concentrations of 1 pM can be easily detected. Also, an alternative route to modify the sensor surface with carboxylic groups using the photochemical reaction of fatty acids is proposed and preliminary XPS results are presented. Moreover, preliminary results for DNA obtained from a rolling circle amplification (RCA-DNA) process and spiked in a realistic amplification buffer are presented.

Electrical Chips for Biological Point-of-Care Detection

As the future of health care diagnostics moves toward more portable and personalized techniques, there is immense potential to harness the power of electrical signals for biological sensing and diagnostic applications at the point of care. Electrical biochips can be used to both manipulate and sense biological entities, as they can have several inherent advantages, including on-chip sample preparation, label-free detection, reduced cost and complexity, decreased sample volumes, increased portability, and large-scale multiplexing. The advantages of fully integrated electrical biochip platforms are particularly attractive for point-of-care systems. This review summarizes these electrical lab-on-a-chip technologies and highlights opportunities to accelerate the transition from academic publications to commercial success.

Programming a nonvolatile memory-like sensor for KRAS gene sensing and signal enhancement

A programmable field effect-based electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) sensor constructed with a nonvolatile memory-like structure is proposed for KRAS gene DNA hybridization detection. This programmable EIS structure was fabricated with silicon oxide (SiO2)/silicon nitride (Si3N4)/silicon oxide on a p-type silicon wafer, namely electrolyte-oxide-nitride-oxide-Si (EONOS). In this research, voltage stress programming from 4 to 20V was applied to trigger holes confinement in the nitride-trapping layer that, consequently, enhances the DNA attachment onto the sensing surface due to additional electrostatic interaction. Not solely resulting from the higher DNA load, the programming may affect the orientation of the DNA that finally contributes to the change in capacitance. Findings have shown that a higher voltage program is able to increase the total capacitance and results in ~3.5- and ~5.5-times higher sensitivities for a series of concentrations for complementary DNA and wild type versus mutant DNA hybridization detection, respectively. Overall, it has been proven that the voltage program on the nonvolatile memory-like structure of EONOS is a notable candidate for genosensor development, scoping the diagnosis of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-related disease.

Label-free detection of DNA using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor modified with a positively charged polyelectrolyte layer

A multi-spot (16 spots) light-addressable potentiometric sensor (MLAPS) consisting of an Al-p-Si-SiO2 structure modified with a weak polyelectrolyte layer of PAH (poly(allylamine hydrochloride)) was applied for the label-free electrical detection of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) immobilization and hybridization by the intrinsic molecular charge for the first time. To achieve a preferentially flat orientation of DNA strands and thus, to reduce the distance between the DNA charge and MLAPS surface, the negatively charged probe single-stranded DNAs (ssDNA) were electrostatically adsorbed onto the positively charged PAH layer using a simple layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. In this way, more DNA charge can be positioned within the Debye length, yielding a higher sensor signal. The surface potential changes in each spot induced due to the surface modification steps (PAH adsorption, probe ssDNA immobilization, hybridization with complementary target DNA (cDNA), non-specific adsorption of mismatched ssDNA) were determined from the shifts of photocurrent-voltage curves along the voltage axis. A high sensor signal of 83 mV was registered after immobilization of probe ssDNA onto the PAH layer. The hybridization signal increases from 5 mV to 32 mV with increasing the concentration of cDNA from 0.1 nM to 5 μM. In contrast, a small signal of 5 mV was recorded in the case of non-specific adsorption of fully mismatched ssDNA (5 μM). The obtained results demonstrate the potential of the MLAPS in combination with the simple and rapid LbL immobilization technique as a promising platform for the future development of multi-spot light-addressable label-free DNA chips with direct electrical readout.

An ATP sensitive light addressable biosensor for extracellular monitoring of single taste receptor cell

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is considered as the key neurotransmitter in taste buds for taste signal transmission and processing. Measurements of ATP secreted from single taste receptor cell (TRC) with high sensitivity and specificity are essential for investigating mechanisms underlying taste cell-to-cell communications. In this study, we presented an aptamer-based biosensor for the detection of ATP locally secreted from single TRC. ATP sensitive DNA aptamer was used as recognition element and its DNA competitor was served as signal transduction element that was covalently immobilized on the surface of light addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). Due to the light addressable capability of LAPS, local ATP secretion from single TRC can be detected by monitoring the working potential shifts of LAPS. The results show this biosensor can detect ATP with high sensitivity and specificity. It is demonstrated this biosensor can effectively detect the local ATP secretion from single TRC responding to tastant mixture. This biosensor could provide a promising new tool for the research of taste cell-to-cell communications as well as for the detection of local ATP secretion from other types of ATP secreting individual cells.

Label-free electrical detection of pyrophosphate generated from DNA polymerase reactions on field-effect devices

We introduce a label-free approach for sensing polymerase reactions on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) using a chelator-modified silicon-on-insulator field-effect transistor (SOI-FET) that exhibits selective and reversible electrical response to pyrophosphate anions. The chemical modification of the sensor surface was designed to include rolling-circle amplification (RCA) DNA colonies for locally enhanced pyrophosphate (PPi) signal generation and sensors with immobilized chelators for capture and surface-sensitive detection of diffusible reaction by-products. While detecting arrays of enzymatic base incorporation reactions is typically accomplished using optical fluorescence or chemiluminescence techniques, our results suggest that it is possible to develop scalable and portable PPi-specific sensors and platforms for broad biomedical applications such as DNA sequencing and microbe detection using surface-sensitive electrical readout techniques.

Detection and quantification through a lipid membrane using the molecularly controlled semiconductor resistor

The detection of covalent and noncovalent binding events between molecules and biomembranes is a fundamental goal of contemporary biochemistry and analytical chemistry. Currently, such studies are performed routinely using fluorescence methods, surface-plasmon resonance spectroscopy, and electrochemical methods. However, there is still a need for novel sensitive miniaturizable detection methods where the sample does not have to be transferred to the sensor, but the sensor can be brought into contact with the sample studied. We present a novel approach for detection and quantification of processes occurring on the surface of a lipid bilayer membrane, by monitoring the current change through the n-type GaAs-based molecularly controlled semiconductor resistor (MOCSER), on which the membrane is adsorbed. Since GaAs is susceptible to etching in an aqueous environment, a protective thin film of methoxysilane was deposited on the device. The system was found to be sensitive enough to allow monitoring changes in pH and in the concentration of amino acids in aqueous solution on top of the membrane. When biotinylated lipids were incorporated into the membrane, it was possible to monitor the binding of streptavidin or avidin. The device modified with biotin-streptavidin complex was capable of detecting the binding of streptavidin antibodies to immobilized streptavidin with high sensitivity and selectivity. The response depends on the charge on the analyte. These results open the way to facile electrical detection of protein-membrane interactions.

Real-time monitoring of PCR amplification of proto-oncogene c-MYC using a Ta₂O₅ electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor sensor

We present a new approach for real-time monitoring of PCR amplification of a specific sequence from the human c-MYC proto-oncogene using a Ta(2)O(5) electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) sensor. The response of the fabricated EIS sensor to cycle DNA amplification was evaluated and compared to standard SYBR-green fluorescence incorporation, showing it was possible to detect DNA concentration variations with 30 mV/μM sensitivity. The sensor's response was then optimized to follow in real-time the PCR amplification of c-MYC sequence from a genomic DNA sample attaining an amplification profile comparable to that of a standard real-time PCR. Owing to the small size, ease of fabrication and low-cost, the developed Ta(2)O(5) sensor may be incorporated onto a microfluidic device and then used for real-time PCR. Our approach may circumvent the practical and economical obstacles posed by current platforms that require an external fluorescence detector difficult to miniaturize and incorporate into a lab-on-chip system.

Label-free detection of DNA using novel organic-based electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor

In this study, we have constructed the first organic field effect sensor based on an electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor structure (OEIS) and applied this novel device to pH and DNA sensing. Variations in the insulator-electrolyte surface potential, which originate from either the change of the ionization states of the insulator surface groups or the binding of charged molecules to the insulator surface, modify the flat band voltage (V(FB)) of the OEIS sensor. The pH sensing experiments of OEIS sensor showed that the output signal linearly depended on pH solution in the range from pH 2 to pH 12, and an average sensitivity of 44.1 mV/pH was obtained. In the biosensing experiments, the absorption of positively charged poly-L-lysine on the insulator surface resulted in the reduction of the V(FB) value, whereas the subsequent binding of negatively charged single-stranded DNA probe (ssDNA) via electrostatic interaction increased the V(FB) value. Furthermore, the ssDNA-immobilized OEIS device was successfully used for the detection of DNA hybridization. The detection limit of complementary DNA was as low as 1 microM, and the output signal of OEIS biosensor linearly increased with the logarithm of complementary DNA concentration in the range from 5x10(-5) to 10(-7) M. The easy and inexpensive fabrication of the OEIS device allows to be served as a potentially disposable and sensitive biosensor.

A non-labeled DNA biosensor based on light addressable potentiometric sensor modified with TiO2 thin film

Titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) thin film was deposited on the surface of the light addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) to modify the sensor surface for the non-labeled detection of DNA molecules. To evaluate the effect of ultraviolet (UV) treatment on the silanization level of TiO(2) thin film by 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS), fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was used to label the amine group on the end of APTS immobilized onto the TiO(2) thin film. We found that, with UV irradiation, the silanization level of the irradiated area of the TiO(2) film was improved compared with the non-irradiated area under well-controlled conditions. This result indicates that TiO(2) can act as a coating material on the biosensor surface to improve the effect and efficiency of the covalent immobilization of biomolecules on the sensor surface. The artificially synthesized probe DNA molecules were covalently linked onto the surface of TiO(2) film. The hybridization of probe DNA and target DNA was monitored by the recording of I-V curves that shift along the voltage axis during the process of reaction. A significant LAPS signal can be detected at 10 micromol/L of target DNA sample.