Single-Shot Analytical Assay Based on Graphene-Oxide-Modified Surface Acoustic Wave Biosensor for Detection of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms

Challenges for Field-Effect-Transistor-Based Graphene Biosensors

Owing to its outstanding physical properties, graphene has attracted attention as a promising biosensor material. Field-effect-transistor (FET)-based biosensors are particularly promising because of their high sensitivity that is achieved through the high carrier mobility of graphene. However, graphene-FET biosensors have not yet reached widespread practical applications owing to several problems. In this review, the authors focus on graphene-FET biosensors and discuss their advantages, the challenges to their development, and the solutions to the challenges. The problem of Debye screening, in which the surface charges of the detection target are shielded and undetectable, can be solved by using small-molecule receptors and their deformations and by using enzyme reaction products. To address the complexity of sample components and the detection mechanisms of graphene-FET biosensors, the authors outline measures against nonspecific adsorption and the remaining problems related to the detection mechanism itself. The authors also introduce a solution with which the molecular species that can reach the sensor surfaces are limited. Finally, the authors present multifaceted approaches to the sensor surfaces that provide much information to corroborate the results of electrical measurements. The measures and solutions introduced bring us closer to the practical realization of stable biosensors utilizing the superior characteristics of graphene.

Acoustofluidics - changing paradigm in tissue engineering, therapeutics development, and biosensing

For more than 70 years, acoustic waves have been used to screen, diagnose, and treat patients in hundreds of medical devices. The biocompatible nature of acoustic waves, their non-invasive and contactless operation, and their compatibility with wide visualization techniques are just a few of the many features that lead to the clinical success of sound-powered devices. The development of microelectromechanical systems and fabrication technologies in the past two decades reignited the spark of acoustics in the discovery of unique microscale bio applications. Acoustofluidics, the combination of acoustic waves and fluid mechanics in the nano and micro-realm, allowed researchers to access high-resolution and controllable manipulation and sensing tools for particle separation, isolation and enrichment, patterning of cells and bioparticles, fluid handling, and point of care biosensing strategies. This versatility and attractiveness of acoustofluidics have led to the rapid expansion of platforms and methods, making it also challenging for users to select the best acoustic technology. Depending on the setup, acoustic devices can offer a diverse level of biocompatibility, throughput, versatility, and sensitivity, where each of these considerations can become the design priority based on the application. In this paper, we aim to overview the recent advancements of acoustofluidics in the multifaceted fields of regenerative medicine, therapeutic development, and diagnosis and provide researchers with the necessary information needed to choose the best-suited acoustic technology for their application. Moreover, the effect of acoustofluidic systems on phenotypic behavior of living organisms are investigated. The review starts with a brief explanation of acoustofluidic principles, the different working mechanisms, and the advantages or challenges of commonly used platforms based on the state-of-the-art design features of acoustofluidic technologies. Finally, we present an outlook of potential trends, the areas to be explored, and the challenges that need to be overcome in developing acoustofluidic platforms that can echo the clinical success of conventional ultrasound-based devices.

Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) Sensors: Physics, Materials, and Applications

Surface acoustic waves (SAWs) are the guided waves that propagate along the top surface of a material with wave vectors orthogonal to the normal direction to the surface. Based on these waves, SAW sensors are conceptualized by employing piezoelectric crystals where the guided elastodynamic waves are generated through an electromechanical coupling. Electromechanical coupling in both active and passive modes is achieved by integrating interdigitated electrode transducers (IDT) with the piezoelectric crystals. Innovative meta-designs of the periodic IDTs define the functionality and application of SAW sensors. This review article presents the physics of guided surface acoustic waves and the piezoelectric materials used for designing SAW sensors. Then, how the piezoelectric materials and cuts could alter the functionality of the sensors is explained. The article summarizes a few key configurations of the electrodes and respective guidelines for generating different guided wave patterns such that new applications can be foreseen. Finally, the article explores the applications of SAW sensors and their progress in the fields of biomedical, microfluidics, chemical, and mechano-biological applications along with their crucial roles and potential plans for improvements in the long-term future in the field of science and technology.

Continuous polymerase chain reaction microfluidics integrated with a gold-capped nanoslit sensing chip for Epstein-Barr virus detection

We present the first combination of a microfluidic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a gold nanoslit-based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor for detecting the DNA sequence of latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1). The PCR microchannel was produced through a laser scribing technique, and the SPR nanoslit chip was manufactured via hot-embossing nanoimprinting lithography. Afterward, the LMP1 DNA probe was adsorbed onto the SPR chip of the integrated device through electrostatic interactions for further detection. The device can complete the analytical procedure in around 36 min, while the traditional machine requires 105 min to achieve similar signals under the same PCR thermal cycles. The calibration curve with serially diluted LMP1 DNA exhibited the accuracy (R² > 0.99) and sensitivity (limit of detection: ∼10^-11 g/mL) of the device. Moreover, extracted DNA from Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive cells were directly detected through the integrated chip. In brief, this all-in-one chip can amplify gene fragments at the front-end and detect them at the back-end, decreasing the time required for the analysis without compromising accuracy or sensitivity. We believe this label-free, real-time, low-cost device has enormous potential for rapid detection of various viruses, such as EBV and COVID-19.

Acoustic Biosensors and Microfluidic Devices in the Decennium: Principles and Applications

Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technology has gained primary attention in the past decade, where label-free biosensors and microfluidic actuation platforms are integrated to realize such LOC devices. Among the multitude of technologies that enables the successful integration of these two features, the piezoelectric acoustic wave method is best suited for handling biological samples due to biocompatibility, label-free and non-invasive properties. In this review paper, we present a study on the use of acoustic waves generated by piezoelectric materials in the area of label-free biosensors and microfluidic actuation towards the realization of LOC and POC devices. The categorization of acoustic wave technology into the bulk acoustic wave and surface acoustic wave has been considered with the inclusion of biological sample sensing and manipulation applications. This paper presents an approach with a comprehensive study on the fundamental operating principles of acoustic waves in biosensing and microfluidic actuation, acoustic wave modes suitable for sensing and actuation, piezoelectric materials used for acoustic wave generation, fabrication methods, and challenges in the use of acoustic wave modes in biosensing. Recent developments in the past decade, in various sensing potentialities of acoustic waves in a myriad of applications, including sensing of proteins, disease biomarkers, DNA, pathogenic microorganisms, acoustofluidic manipulation, and the sorting of biological samples such as cells, have been given primary focus. An insight into the future perspectives of real-time, label-free, and portable LOC devices utilizing acoustic waves is also presented. The developments in the field of thin-film piezoelectric materials, with the possibility of integrating sensing and actuation on a single platform utilizing the reversible property of smart piezoelectric materials, provide a step forward in the realization of monolithic integrated LOC and POC devices. Finally, the present paper highlights the key benefits and challenges in terms of commercialization, in the field of acoustic wave-based biosensors and actuation platforms.

AuNP-Amplified Surface Acoustic Wave Sensor for the Quantification of Exosomes

In this study, we report a gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-amplified surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor for exosome detection with high sensitivity. The SAW chip was self-assembled with mercapto acetic acid to generate carboxylic groups via the Au-S bond. Anti-CD63 was then anchored onto the chip by pretreatment with 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide,1-hydroxypyrrolidine-2,5-dione (NHS). Due to the existence of a membrane protein, CD63, on the exosome surface, exosomes could be bound onto the antibody-immobilized SAW chip. To amplify the detection signal, both the biotin-conjugated epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) antibody as a secondary antibody and AuNP-labeled streptavidin were applied onto the exosome-bound SAW chip, resulting in AuNP assembly on the chip through biotin-avidin recognition. The sensor was capable of detecting 1.1 × 10³ particles/mL exosomes, which was about 2 orders of magnitude higher than those detected by the strategy without using signal amplification. The sensor also achieved a satisfactory specificity and could detect the low-abundance exosomes directly in blood samples from cancer patients with minimal disturbance. This makes the SAW sensor useful for early diagnosis of cancer.

A Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) biosensor method for functional quantification of E. colil-asparaginase

Biosensors are rising technologies in the pharmaceutical field for medicine discovery, development and Quality Control (QC) stages. Surface acoustic wave (SAW) biosensor employs acoustic waves generated by oscillating a piezoelectric crystal quartz plate to meas. mass and viscosity, and allows to detect and quantify binding events between the analyte and an immobilized interacting ligand. We present here a SAW biosensor based approach for the functional quantification of Escherichia colil-asparaginase (E. colil-ASNase), using polyclonal antibody (pAb) as the interaction partner immobilized on the chip. Different immobilization strategies of pAb were initially evaluated, resulting in the BS³ activated amide coupling via protein G strategy as the final immobilization method. The method was validated by evaluating the selectivity, linearity, as well as accuracy (a recovery of 102.4%) and precision (RSD of 8.5%). The application of the validated method on different samples encompassing different lots of E. colil-ASNase, deamidated E. colil-ASNase and dry-heated E. colil-ASNase (80 °C, 10 min) indicated the suitability of the developed SAW method to quantify E. colil-ASNase. We suggest this SAW method can be adopted as a pharmaceutical QC method.

Microfluidic Devices for Label-Free DNA Detection

Sensitive and specific DNA biomarker detection is critical for accurately diagnosing a broad range of clinical conditions. However, the incorporation of such biosensing structures in integrated microfluidic devices is often complicated by the need for an additional labelling step to be implemented on the device. In this review we focused on presenting recent advances in label-free DNA biosensor technology, with a particular focus on microfluidic integrated devices. The key biosensing approaches miniaturized in flow-cell structures were presented, followed by more sophisticated microfluidic devices and higher integration examples in the literature. The option of full DNA sequencing on microfluidic chips via nanopore technology was highlighted, along with current developments in the commercialization of microfluidic, label-free DNA detection devices.

Droplet trapping and fast acoustic release in a multi-height device with steady-state flow

We demonstrate a novel multilayer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) device for selective storage and release of single emulsion droplets. Drops are captured in a microchannel cavity and can be released on-demand through a triggered surface acoustic wave pulse. The surface acoustic wave (SAW) is excited by a tapered interdigital transducer (TIDT) deposited on a piezoelectric lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) substrate and inverts the pressure difference across the cavity trap to push a drop out of the trap and back into the main flow channel. Droplet capture and release does not require a flow rate change, flow interruption, flow inversion or valve action and can be achieved in as fast as 20 ms. This allows both on-demand droplet capture for analysis and monitoring over arbitrary time scales, and continuous device operation with a high droplet rate of 620 drops per s. We hence decouple long-term droplet interrogation from other operations on the chip. This will ease integration with other microfluidic droplet operations and functional components.

Surface acoustic wave devices for chemical sensing and microfluidics: A review and perspective

Surface acoustic waves (SAWs), are electro-mechanical waves that form on the surface of piezoelectric crystals. Because they are easy to construct and operate, SAW devices have proven to be versatile and powerful platforms for either direct chemical sensing or for upstream microfluidic processing and sample preparation. This review summarizes recent advances in the development of SAW devices for chemical sensing and analysis. The use of SAW techniques for chemical detection in both gaseous and liquid media is discussed, as well as recent fabrication advances that are pointing the way for the next generation of SAW sensors. Similarly, applications and progress in using SAW devices as microfluidic platforms are covered, ranging from atomization and mixing to new approaches to lysing and cell adhesion studies. Finally, potential new directions and perspectives on the field as it moves forward are offered, with a specific focus on potential strategies for making SAW technologies for bioanalytical applications.

A surface acoustic wave biosensor synergizing DNA-mediated in situ silver nanoparticle growth for a highly specific and signal-amplified nucleic acid assay

An SAW biosensor harmonizes the surface mass effect for signal-amplified and sequence-specific DNA detection in blood serum.

Enhanced Resolution of DNA Separation Using Agarose Gel Electrophoresis Doped with Graphene Oxide

In this work, a novel agarose gel electrophoresis strategy has been developed for separation of DNA fragments by doping graphene oxide (GO) into agarose gel. The results show that the addition of GO into agarose gel significantly improved the separation resolution of DNA fragments by increasing the shift distances of both the single DNA fragments and the adjacent DNA fragments and completely eliminating the background noise derived from the diffusion of the excessive ethidium bromide (EB) dye in the gel after electrophoresis. The improved resolution of DNA fragments in GO-doped agarose gel could be attributed to the successive adsorption-desorption processes between DNA fragments and GO sheets, while the elimination of the background noise could be attributed to the adsorption of the excessive EB dye on the surface of GO sheets and high fluorescence quenching efficiency of GO. These results provide promising potential for graphene and its derivate utilized in various electrophoresis techniques for separation and detection of DAN fragments and other biomolecules.