Synergizing nucleic acid aptamers with 1-dimensional nanostructures as label-free field-effect transistor biosensors

A Brief Review of Graphene-Based Biosensors Developed for Rapid Detection of COVID-19 Biomarkers

The prevalence of mutated species of COVID-19 antigens has provided a strong impetus for identifying a cost-effective, rapid and facile strategy for identifying the viral loads in public places. The ever-changing genetic make-up of SARS-CoV-2 posts a significant challenfge for the research community to identify a robust mechanism to target, bind and confirm the presence of a viral load before it spreads. Synthetic DNA constructs are a novel strategy to design complementary DNA sequences specific for antigens of interest as in this review's case SARS-CoV-2 antigens. Small molecules, complementary DNA and protein-DNA complexes have been known to target analytes in minimal concentrations. This phenomenon can be exploited by nanomaterials which have unique electronic properties such as ballistic conduction. Graphene is one such candidate for designing a device with a very low LOD in the order of zeptomolar and attomolar concentrations. Surface modification will be the significant aspect of the device which needs to have a high degree of sensitivity at the same time as providing a rapid signaling mechanism.

Electrochemical Biosensors as a Novel Platform in the Identification of Listeriosis Infection

Listeria monocytogenes (L.M.) is a gram-positive bacillus with wide distribution in the environment. This bacterium contaminates water sources and food products and can be transmitted to the human population. The infection caused by L.M. is called listeriosis and is common in pregnant women, immune-deficient patients, and older adults. Based on the released statistics, listeriosis has a high rate of hospitalization and mortality; thus, rapid and timely detection of food contamination and listeriosis cases is necessary. During the last few decades, biosensors have been used for the detection and monitoring of varied bacteria species. These devices are detection platforms with great sensitivity and low detection limits. Among different types of biosensors, electrochemical biosensors have a high capability to circumvent several drawbacks associated with the application of conventional laboratory techniques. In this review article, different electrochemical biosensor types used for the detection of listeriosis were discussed in terms of actuators, bioreceptors, specific working electrodes, and signal amplification. We hope that this review will facilitate researchers to access a complete and comprehensive template for pathogen detection based on the different formats of electrochemical biosensors.

State-of-the-art developments in carbon quantum dots (CQDs): Photo-catalysis, bio-imaging, and bio-sensing applications

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs), the intensifying nanostructured form of carbon material, have exhibited incredible impetus in several research fields such as bio-imaging, bio-sensing, drug delivery systems, optoelectronics, photovoltaics, and photocatalysis, thanks to their exceptional properties. The CQDs show extensive photonic and electronic properties, as well as their light-collecting, tunable photoluminescence, remarkable up-converted photoluminescence, and photo-induced transfer of electrons were widely studied. These properties have great advantages in a variety of visible-light-induced catalytic applications for the purpose of fully utilizing the energy from the solar spectrum. The major purpose of this review is to validate current improvements in the fabrication of CQDs, characteristics, and visible-light-induced catalytic applications, with a focus on CQDs multiple functions in photo-redox processes. We also examine the problems and future directions of CQD-based nanostructured materials in this growing research field, with an eye toward establishing a decisive role for CQDs in photocatalysis, bio-imaging, and bio-sensing applications that are enormously effective and stable over time. In the end, a look forward to future developments is presented, with a view to overcoming challenges and encouraging further research into this promising field.

An Aptamer-Functionalised Schottky-Field Effect Transistor for the Detection of Proteins

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019 has highlighted the need for a flexible sensing system that can quickly and accurately determine the presence of biomarkers associated with the disease. This sensing system also needs to be easily adaptable to incorporate both novel diseases as well as changes in the existing ones. Here we report the feasibility of using a simple, low-cost silicon field-effect transistor functionalised with aptamers and designed to attach to the spike protein of SARS-CoV2. It is shown that a linear response can be obtained in a concentration range of 100 fM to 10 pM. Furthermore, by using a larger range of source-drain potentials compared with other FET based sensors, it is possible to look at a wider range of device parameters to optimise the response.

Signal enhancing strategies in aptasensors for the detection of small molecular contaminants by nanomaterials and nucleic acid amplification

Small molecular contaminants (such as mycotoxins, antibiotics, pesticide residues, etc.) in food and environment have given rise to many biological and ecological toxicities, which has attracted worldwide attention in recent years. Meanwhile, due to the advantages of aptamers such as high specificity and stability, easy synthesis and modification, as well as low cost and immunogenicity, various aptasensors for the detection of small molecular contaminants have been flourishing. An aptasensor as a whole is composed of an aptamer-based target recognizer and a signal transducer, which are fields of concentrated research. In the practical detection applications, in order to achieve the quantitative detection of small molecular contaminants at low abundance in real samples, a large number of signal enhancing strategies have been utilized in the development of aptasensors. Recent years is a vintage period for efficient signal enhancing strategies of aptasensors by the aid of nanomaterials and nucleic acid amplification that are applied in the elements for target recognition and signal conversion. Therefore, this paper meticulously reviews the signal enhancing strategies based on nanomaterials (including the (quasi-)zero-dimensional, one-dimensional, two-dimensional and three-dimensional nanomaterials) and nucleic acid amplification (including enzyme-assisted nucleic acid amplification and enzyme-free nucleic acid amplification). Furthermore, the challenges and future trends of the abovementioned signal enhancing strategies for application are also discussed in order to inspire the practitioners in the research and development of aptasensors for small molecular contaminants.

Combination of Aptamer Amplifier and Antigen-Binding Fragment Probe as a Novel Strategy to Improve Detection Limit of Silicon Nanowire Field-Effect Transistor Immunosensors

Detecting proteins at low concentrations in high-ionic-strength conditions by silicon nanowire field-effect transistors (SiNWFETs) is severely hindered due to the weakened signal, primarily caused by screening effects. In this study, aptamer as a signal amplifier, which has already been reported by our group, is integrated into SiNWFET immunosensors employing antigen-binding fragments (Fab) as the receptors to improve its detection limit for the first time. The Fab-SiNWFET immunosensors were developed by immobilizing Fab onto Si surfaces modified with either 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and glutaraldehyde (GA) (Fab/APTES-SiNWFETs), or mixed self-assembled monolayers (mSAMs) of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and GA (Fab/PEG-SiNWFETs), to detect the rabbit IgG at different concentrations in a high-ionic-strength environment (150 mM Bis-Tris Propane) followed by incubation with R18, an aptamer which can specifically target rabbit IgG, for signal enhancement. Empirical results revealed that the signal produced by the sensors with Fab probes was greatly enhanced compared to the ones with whole antibody (Wab) after detecting similar concentrations of rabbit IgG. The Fab/PEG-SiNWFET immunosensors exhibited an especially improved limit of detection to determine the IgG level down to 1 pg/mL, which has not been achieved by the Wab/PEG-SiNWFET immunosensors.

Advances in Electrochemical Aptasensors Based on Carbon Nanomaterials

Carbon nanomaterials offer unique opportunities for the assembling of electrochemical aptasensors due to their high electroconductivity, redox activity, compatibility with biochemical receptors and broad possibilities of functionalization and combination with other auxiliary reagents. In this review, the progress in the development of electrochemical aptasensors based on carbon nanomaterials in 2016–2020 is considered with particular emphasis on the role of carbon materials in aptamer immobilization and signal generation. The synthesis and properties of carbon nanotubes, graphene materials, carbon nitride, carbon black particles and fullerene are described and their implementation in the electrochemical biosensors are summarized. Examples of electrochemical aptasensors are classified in accordance with the content of the surface layer and signal measurement mode. In conclusion, the drawbacks and future prospects of carbon nanomaterials’ application in electrochemical aptasensors are briefly discussed.

Detecting DNA and RNA and Differentiating Single-Nucleotide Variations via Field-Effect Transistors

We detect short oligonucleotides and distinguish between sequences that differ by a single base, using label-free, electronic field-effect transistors (FETs). Our sensing platform utilizes ultrathin-film indium oxide FETs chemically functionalized with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). The ssDNA-functionalized semiconducting channels in FETs detect fully complementary DNA sequences and differentiate these sequences from those having different types and locations of single base-pair mismatches. Changes in charge associated with surface-bound ssDNA vs double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) alter FET channel conductance to enable detection due to differences in DNA duplex stability. We illustrate the capability of ssDNA-FETs to detect complementary RNA sequences and to distinguish from RNA sequences with single nucleotide variations. The development and implementation of electronic biosensors that rapidly and sensitively detect and differentiate oligonucleotides present new opportunities in the fields of disease diagnostics and precision medicine.

Predicting Future Prospects of Aptamers in Field-Effect Transistor Biosensors

Aptamers, in sensing technology, are famous for their role as receptors in versatile applications due to their high specificity and selectivity to a wide range of targets including proteins, small molecules, oligonucleotides, metal ions, viruses, and cells. The outburst of field-effect transistors provides a label-free detection and ultra-sensitive technique with significantly improved results in terms of detection of substances. However, their combination in this field is challenged by several factors. Recent advances in the discovery of aptamers and studies of Field-Effect Transistor (FET) aptasensors overcome these limitations and potentially expand the dominance of aptamers in the biosensor market.

Phenylalanine Monitoring via Aptamer-Field-Effect Transistor Sensors

Determination of the amino acid phenylalanine is important for lifelong disease management in patients with phenylketonuria, a genetic disorder in which phenylalanine accumulates and persists at levels that alter brain development and cause permanent neurological damage and cognitive dysfunction. Recent approaches for treating phenylketonuria focus on injectable medications that efficiently break down phenylalanine but sometimes result in detrimentally low phenylalanine levels. We have identified new DNA aptamers for phenylalanine in two formats, initially as fluorescent sensors and then, incorporated with field-effect transistors (FETs). Aptamer-FET sensors detected phenylalanine over a wide range of concentrations (fM to mM). para-Chlorophenylalanine, which inhibits the enzyme that converts phenylalanine to tyrosine, was used to induce hyperphenylalaninemia during brain development in mice. Aptamer-FET sensors were specific for phenylalanine versus para-chlorophenylalanine and differentiated changes in mouse serum phenylalanine at levels expected in patients. Aptamer-FETs can be used to investigate models of hyperphenylalanemia in the presence of structurally related enzyme inhibitors, as well as naturally occurring amino acids. Nucleic acid-based receptors that discriminate phenylalanine analogs, some that differ by a single substituent, indicate a refined ability to identify aptamers with binding pockets tailored for high affinity and specificity. Aptamers of this type integrated into FETs enable rapid, electronic, label-free phenylalanine sensing.

Signal Enhancement of Silicon Nanowire Field-Effect Transistor Immunosensors by RNA Aptamer

Silicon nanowire field-effect transistors (SiNW-FETs) have been demonstrated as a highly sensitive platform for label-free detection of a variety of biological and chemical entities. However, detecting signal from immunoassays by nano-FETs is severely hindered by the distribution of different charged groups of targeted entities, their binding orientation, and distances to the surface of the FET. Aptamers have been widely applied as a recognition element for plentiful biosensors because of small molecular sizes and moderate to high specific binding affinity with different types of molecules. In this study, we propose an effective approach to enhance the electrical responses of both direct (6×-histidine) and sandwich (amyloid β 1-42) immunoassays in SiNW-FETs with R18, a highly negative charged RNA aptamer against rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG). Empirical results presented that the immunosensors targeted with R18 expressed a significantly stabilized and amplified signal compared to the ones without this aptamer. The research outcome provides applicability of the highly negative charged aptamer as a bioamplifier for immunoassays by FETs.

Fluorescent Sensors for the Detection of Heavy Metal Ions in Aqueous Media

Due to the risks that water contamination implies for human health and environmental protection, monitoring the quality of water is a major concern of the present era. Therefore, in recent years several efforts have been dedicated to the development of fast, sensitive, and selective sensors for the detection of heavy metal ions. In particular, fluorescent sensors have gained in popularity due to their interesting features, such as high specificity, sensitivity, and reversibility. Thus, this review is devoted to the recent advances in fluorescent sensors for the monitoring of these contaminants, and special focus is placed on those devices based on fluorescent aptasensors, quantum dots, and organic dyes.

Top-Down Fabricated Silicon Nanowire Arrays for Field-Effect Detection of Prostate-Specific Antigen

Highly sensitive electrical detection of biomarkers for the early stage screening of cancer is desired for future, ultrafast diagnostic platforms. In the case of prostate cancer (PCa), the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is of prime interest and its detection in combination with other PCa-relevant biomarkers in a multiplex approach is advised. Toward this goal, we demonstrate the label-free, potentiometric detection of PSA with silicon nanowire ion-sensitive field-effect transistor (Si NW-ISFET) arrays. To realize the field-effect detection, we utilized the DNA aptamer-receptors specific for PSA, which were covalently and site-specifically immobilized on Si NW-ISFETs. The platform was used for quantitative detection of PSA and the change in threshold voltage of the Si NW-ISEFTs was correlated with the concentration of PSA. Concentration-dependent measurements were done in a wide range of 1 pg/mL to 1 μg/mL, which covers the clinical range of interest. To confirm the PSA-DNA aptamer binding on the Si NW surfaces, a sandwich-immunoassay based on chemiluminescence was implemented. The electrical approach using the Si NW-ISFET platform shows a lower limit of detection and a wide dynamic range of the assay. In future, our platform should be utilized to detect multiple biomarkers in one assay to obtain more reliable information about cancer-related diseases.

A chemiluminescence biosensor for the detection of thrombin based on the aptamer composites

An efficient, rapid, simple and ultrasensitive chemiluminescence (CL) approach was proposed for thrombin detection based on the aptamer-thrombin recognition. The aptamer composites were synthesized in this work using graphene oxide (GO) as the backing material. The thrombin was adsorbed on the aptamer composites based on the aptamer-thrombin recognition. Thus, thrombin could be quantified by the difference value of the CL intensity between supernate of the sample and the mixture which composed of thrombin and coexisted substances. The CL intensity exhibits a stable response to thrombin over a concentration range from 2.5×10^-10 to 1×10^-9mol·L^-1 with a detection limit as low as 8.3×10^-11mol·L^-1, the relative standard deviation (RSD) was found to be 4.9% for 11 determinations of 1.25×10^-9mol·L^-1 thrombin. Finally, the applicability of the method was verified by applying to serum samples. The recoveries were in the range of 90.3-101.0% with RSD of 2.6-3.2%.

Driving mesenchymal stem cell differentiation from self-assembled monolayers

The utilization of self-assembled monolayer (SAM) systems to direct Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) differentiation has been covered in the literature for years, but finding a general consensus pertaining to its exact role over the differentiation of stem cells had been rather challenging. Although there are numerous reports on surface functional moieties activating and inducing differentiation, the results are often different between reports due to the varying surface conditions, such as topography or surface tension. Herein, in view of the complexity of the subject matter, we have sought to catalogue the recent developments around some of the more common functional groups on predominantly hard surfaces and how these chemical groups may influence the overall outcome of the mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) differentiation so as to better establish a clearer underlying relationship between stem cells and their base substratum interactions.

Graphical illustration showing the functional groups that drive MSC differentiation without soluble bioactive cues within the first 14 days.

Self-Catalyzed Assembly of Peptide Scaffolded Nanozyme as a Dynamic Biosensing System

In this work, a new strategy of biosensor design is developed based on the assembly of amyloid beta and its multiple interactions with other bioactive species. These interactions can enable amyloid beta peptide as a multifunctional sensing element, so the immobilization of sensing probe and the step-by-step modification of the sensing interface have all been dispensed with. Instead, the kinetics of the assembly of a peptide-based catalytic network serves to convert the quantity of analyte into amplified signal readout. The designed dynamic assembling and biosensing system has also been successfully applied in detecting the activity of polyglutamylation, an essential post translation modification controlling cell skeleton and cell cycle, in biological complex samples. Further studies reveal that the serum abundance of a polyglutamylase, tubulin tyrosine ligase-like protein 12, may show parallel with the degree of development of prostate cancer and the discrimination between early cancerous development and benign conditions. And the obtained result is more distinct than that based on PSA detection, the current gold standard. This study may also point to the prospective of extending this design strategy to broader range of biosensing applications in the future.

Thermal and UV Hydrosilylation of Alcohol-Based Bifunctional Alkynes on Si (111) surfaces: How surface radicals influence surface bond formation

Using two different hydrosilylation methods, low temperature thermal and UV initiation, silicon (111) hydrogenated surfaces were functionalized in presence of an OH-terminated alkyne, a CF₃-terminated alkyne and a mixed equimolar ratio of the two alkynes. XPS studies revealed that in the absence of premeditated surface radical through low temperature hydrosilylation, the surface grafting proceeded to form a Si-O-C linkage via nucleophilic reaction through the OH group of the alkyne. This led to a small increase in surface roughness as well as an increase in hydrophobicity and this effect was attributed to the surficial etching of silicon to form nanosize pores (~1–3 nm) by residual water/oxygen as a result of changes to surface polarity from the grafting. Furthermore in the radical-free thermal environment, a mix in equimolar of these two short alkynes can achieve a high contact angle of ~102°, comparable to long alkyl chains grafting reported in literature although surface roughness was relatively mild (rms = ~1 nm). On the other hand, UV initiation on silicon totally reversed the chemical linkages to predominantly Si-C without further compromising the surface roughness, highlighting the importance of surface radicals determining the reactivity of the silicon surface to the selected alkynes.

Formation of stable Si-O-C submonolayers on hydrogen-terminated silicon(111) under low-temperature conditions

In this letter, we report results of a hydrosilylation carried out on bifunctional molecules by using two different approaches, namely through thermal treatment and photochemical treatment through UV irradiation. Previously, our group also demonstrated that in a mixed alkyne/alcohol solution, surface coupling is biased towards the formation of Si-O-C linkages instead of Si-C linkages, thus indirectly supporting the kinetic model of hydrogen abstraction from the Si-H surface (Khung, Y. L. et al. Chem. - Eur. J. 2014, 20, 15151-15158). To further examine the probability of this kinetic model we compare the results from reactions with bifunctional alkynes carried out under thermal treatment (<130 °C) and under UV irradiation, respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and contact angle measurements showed that under thermal conditions, the Si-H surface predominately reacts to form Si-O-C bonds from ethynylbenzyl alcohol solution while the UV photochemical route ensures that the alcohol-based alkyne may also form Si-C bonds, thus producing a monolayer of mixed linkages. The results suggested the importance of surface radicals as well as the type of terminal group as being essential towards directing the nature of surface linkage.

Intrinsically conducting polymer nanowires for biosensing

The fabrication of conductive polymer nanowires and their sensing of nucleic acids, proteins and pathogens is reviewed in this feature article.