Novel use of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanoparticles for fluorescent nucleic acid detection

Metallic nanostructure-based aptasensors for robust detection of proteins

There is a significant need for fast, cost-effective, and highly sensitive protein target detection, particularly in the fields of food, environmental monitoring, and healthcare. The integration of high-affinity aptamers with metal-based nanomaterials has played a crucial role in advancing the development of innovative aptasensors tailored for the precise detection of specific proteins. Aptamers offer several advantages over commonly used molecular recognition methods, such as antibodies. Recently, a variety of metal-based aptasensors have been established. These metallic nanomaterials encompass noble metal nanoparticles, metal oxides, metal-carbon nanotubes, carbon quantum dots, graphene-conjugated metallic nanostructures, as well as their nanocomposites, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), and MXenes. In general, these materials provide enhanced sensitivity through signal amplification and transduction mechanisms. This review primarily focuses on the advancement of aptasensors based on metallic materials for the highly sensitive detection of protein targets, including enzymes and growth factors. Additionally, it sheds light on the challenges encountered in this field and outlines future prospects. We firmly believe that this review will offer a comprehensive overview and fresh insights into metallic nanomaterials-based aptasensors and their capabilities, paving the way for the development of innovative point-of-care (POC) diagnostic devices.

Intrinsically conductive polymers hybrid bilayer films for the fluorescence molecular diagnosis of the Zika virus

In 2016, the Zika virus (ZIKV) infection became a major public health problem, after the discovery that an alarming increase in the number of Brazilian newborns with microcephaly could be associated with the occurrence of this viral disease during the pregnancy of their mothers. The urgent need for simple diagnostic methods that allow rapid screening of suspected cases has stimulated the search for low-cost devices capable of detecting specific sequences of nucleic acids. The present work describes the development of nanostructured films formed by bilayers of conjugated polymers for rapid detection of the presence of Zika virus DNA, via fluorescence methods. For this, we initially deposited alternating layers of polyaniline (PANI) and polypyrrole (PPY) on the surface of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheets. The films obtained were then characterized by SEM, UV-Vis, ATR-FTIR, and contact angle measurements. For their use as quenchers for the diagnosis of Zika, a single DNA strand-specific for ZIKV was labeled with a fluorophore (FAM-ssDNA). We determined the time required for the saturation of the interaction between probe FAM-ssDNA and the film (180 min) and the time for the maximal hybridization between FAM-ssDNA and target DNA to occur (60 min). The detection limits were estimated as 345 pM and 278 pM for the PET/PPY-PANI and PET/PANI-PPY hybrid films, respectively. The simplicity of the procedure, coupled with the fact that a positive/negative response can be obtained in less than 60 min, suggests that the proposal of using these polymeric bilayer films is a promising methodology for the development of rapid molecular diagnostic tests.

Are Nanobiosensors an Improved Solution for Diagnosis of Leishmania?

Leishmaniasis is one of the deadliest neglected tropical diseases affecting 12–15 million people worldwide, especially in middle- and low-income countries. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of the disease is important for its adequate management and treatment. Several techniques are available for the diagnosis of leishmaniasis. Among these, parasitological and immunological tests are most widely used. However, in most cases, the utilized diagnostic techniques are not good enough, showing cross-reactivity and reduced accuracy. In recent years, many new methods have been reported with potential for improved diagnosis. This review focuses on the diagnosis of Leishmania exploring the biosensors and nanotechnology-based options for their detection. New developments including the use of nanomaterials as fluorophores, fluorescence quenchers as reducing agents and as dendrimers for signal improvement and amplification, together with the use of aptamers to replace antibodies are described. Future research opportunities to overcome the current limitations on the available diagnostic approaches are also discussed.

Nanopore-Assisted, Sequence-Specific Detection, and Single-Molecule Hybridization Analysis of Short, Single-Stranded DNAs

We report here on the ability of the α-hemolysin (α-HL) nanopore to achieve label-free, selective, and real-time detection of 15 nt long ssDNA fragments in solution, by exploiting their hybridization with freely added, polycationic peptides-functionalized PNAs. At the core of our work lies the paradigm that when PNAs and ssDNA are mixed together, the bulk concentration of free PNA decreases, depending upon the (mis)match degree between complementary strands and their relative concentrations. We demonstrate that the ssDNA sensing principle and throughput of the method are determined by the rate at which nonhybridized, polycationic peptides-functionalized PNA molecules arrive at the α-HL's vestibule entrance and thread into the nanopore. We found that with the application of a 30-fold salt gradient across the nanopore, the method enhances single-molecule detection sensitivity in the nanomolar range of ssDNA concentrations. This study demonstrates that the transmembrane potential-dependent unzip of single PNA-DNA duplexes at the α-HL's β-barrel entry permits discrimination between sequences that differ by one base pair.

Soft and flexible material-based affinity sensors

Recent advances in biosensors and point-of-care (PoC) devices are poised to change and expand the delivery of diagnostics from conventional lateral-flow assays and test strips that dominate the market currently, to newly emerging wearable and implantable devices that can provide continuous monitoring. Soft and flexible materials are playing a key role in propelling these trends towards real-time and remote health monitoring. Affinity biosensors have the capability to provide for diagnosis and monitoring of cancerous, cardiovascular, infectious and genetic diseases by the detection of biomarkers using affinity interactions. This review tracks the evolution of affinity sensors from conventional lateral-flow test strips to wearable/implantable devices enabled by soft and flexible materials. Initially, we highlight conventional affinity sensors exploiting membrane and paper materials which have been so successfully applied in point-of-care tests, such as lateral-flow immunoassay strips and emerging microfluidic paper-based devices. We then turn our attention to the multifarious polymer designs that provide both the base materials for sensor designs, such as PDMS, and more advanced functionalised materials that are capable of both recognition and transduction, such as conducting and molecularly imprinted polymers. The subsequent content discusses wearable soft and flexible material-based affinity sensors, classified as flexible and skin-mountable, textile materials-based and contact lens-based affinity sensors. In the final sections, we explore the possibilities for implantable/injectable soft and flexible material-based affinity sensors, including hydrogels, microencapsulated sensors and optical fibers. This area is truly a work in progress and we trust that this review will help pull together the many technological streams that are contributing to the field.

Post-polymerisation functionalisation of conjugated polymer backbones and its application in multi-functional emissive nanoparticles

Backbone functionalisation of conjugated polymers is crucial to their performance in many applications, from electronic displays to nanoparticle biosensors, yet there are limited approaches to introduce functionality. To address this challenge we have developed a method for the direct modification of the aromatic backbone of a conjugated polymer, post-polymerisation. This is achieved via a quantitative nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) reaction on a range of fluorinated electron-deficient comonomers. The method allows for facile tuning of the physical and optoelectronic properties within a batch of consistent molecular weight and dispersity. It also enables the introduction of multiple different functional groups onto the polymer backbone in a controlled manner. To demonstrate the versatility of this reaction, we designed and synthesised a range of emissive poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT)-based polymers for the creation of mono and multifunctional semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs) capable of two orthogonal bioconjugation reactions on the same surface.

Fe-nitrilotriacetic acid coordination polymer nanowires: an effective sensing platform for fluorescence-enhanced nucleic acid detection

The determination of specific nucleic acid sequences is key in identifying disease-causing pathogens and genetic diseases. In this paper we report the utilization of Fe-nitrilotriacetic acid coordination polymer nanowires as an effective nanoquencher for fluorescence-enhanced nucleic acid detection. The detection is fast and the whole process can be completed within 15 min. This nanosensor shows a low detection limit of 0.2 nM with selectivity down to single-base mismatch. This work provides us with an attractive sensing platform for applications.

Utilizing Intrinsic Properties of Polyaniline to Detect Nucleic Acid Hybridization through UV-Enhanced Electrostatic Interaction

Detection of specific RNA or DNA molecules by hybridization to "probe" nucleic acids via complementary base-pairing is a powerful method for analysis of biological systems. Here we describe a strategy for transducing hybridization events through modulating intrinsic properties of the electroconductive polymer polyaniline (PANI). When DNA-based probes electrostatically interact with PANI, its fluorescence properties are increased, a phenomenon that can be enhanced by UV irradiation. Hybridization of target nucleic acids results in dissociation of probes causing PANI fluorescence to return to basal levels. By monitoring restoration of base PANI fluorescence as little as 10(-11) M (10 pM) of target oligonucleotides could be detected within 15 min of hybridization. Detection of complementary oligos was specific, with introduction of a single mismatch failing to form a target-probe duplex that would dissociate from PANI. Furthermore, this approach is robust and is capable of detecting specific RNAs in extracts from animals. This sensor system improves on previously reported strategies by transducing highly specific probe dissociation events through intrinsic properties of a conducting polymer without the need for additional labels.

Label-free and sensitive fluorescent detection of sequence-specific single-strand DNA based on S1 nuclease cleavage effects

The ability to detect sequence-specific single-strand DNA (ssDNA) in complex, contaminant-ridden samples, using a fluorescent method directly without a DNA extraction and PCR step could simplify the detection of pathogens in the field and in the clinic. Here, we have demonstrated a simple label-free sensing strategy to detect ssDNA by employing its complementary ssDNA, S1 nuclease and nucleic acid fluorescent dyes. Upon clearing away redundant complementary ssDNA and possibly mismatched double strand DNA by using S1 nuclease, the fluorescent signal-to-noise ratio could be increased dramatically. It enabled the method to be adaptable to three different types of DNA fluorescent dyes and the ability to detect target ssDNA in complex, multicomponent samples, like tissue homogenate. The method can distinguish a two-base mismatch from avian influenza A (H1N1) virus. Also, it can detect the appearance of 50 pM target ssDNA in 0.5 µg · mL(-1) Lambda DNA, and 50 nM target ssDNA in 5 µg · mL(-1) Lambda DNA or in tissue homogenate. It is facile and cost-effective, and could be easily extended to detect other ssDNA with many common nucleic acid fluorescent dyes.

Detection of DNA damage based on metal-mediated molecular beacon and DNA strands displacement reaction

DNA hairpin structure probes are usually designed by forming intra-molecular duplex based on Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds. In this paper, a molecular beacon based on silver ions-mediated cytosine-Ag(+)-cytosine base pairs was used to detect DNA. The inherent characteristic of the metal ligation facilitated the design of functional probe and the adjustment of its binding strength compared to traditional DNA hairpin structure probes, which make it be used to detect DNA in a simple, rapid and easy way with the help of DNA strands displacement reaction. The method was sensitive and also possesses the good specificity to differentiate the single base mismatched DNA from the complementary DNA. It was also successfully applied to study the damage effect of classic genotoxicity chemicals such as styrene oxide and sodium arsenite on DNA, which was significant in food science, environmental science and pharmaceutical science.

Functional nanoprobes for ultrasensitive detection of biomolecules: an update

With the rapidly increasing demands for ultrasensitive biodetection, the design and applications of functional nanoprobes have attracted substantial interest for biosensing with optical, electrochemical, and various other means. In particular, given the comparable sizes of nanomaterials and biomolecules, there exists plenty of opportunities to develop functional nanoprobes with biomolecules for highly sensitive and selective biosensing. Over the past decade, numerous nanoprobes have been developed for ultrasensitive bioaffinity sensing of proteins and nucleic acids in both laboratory and clinical applications. In this review, we provide an update on the recent advances in this direction, particularly in the past two years, which reflects new progress since the publication of our last review on the same topic in Chem. Soc. Rev. The types of probes under discussion include: (i) nanoamplifier probes: one nanomaterial loaded with multiple biomolecules; (ii) quantum dots probes: fluorescent nanomaterials with high brightness; (iii) superquenching nanoprobes: fluorescent background suppression; (iv) nanoscale Raman probes: nanoscale surface-enhanced Raman resonance scattering; (v) nanoFETs: nanomaterial-based electrical detection; and (vi) nanoscale enhancers: nanomaterial-induced metal deposition.

Direct and freely switchable detection of target genes engineered by reduced graphene oxide-poly(m-aminobenzenesulfonic acid) nanocomposite via synchronous pulse electrosynthesis

A novel one-step electrochemical synthesis of the reduced graphene oxide and poly(m-aminobenzenesulfonic acid, ABSA) nanocomposite (PABSA-rGNO) via pulse potentiostatic method (PPM) for direct and freely switchable detection of target genes is presented. Unlike most electrochemical preparation of hybrids based on rGNO and polymer, electrochemical synthesis of PABSA (during the pulse electropolymerization period of PPM) and electrochemical reduction of rGNO (during the resting period of PPM), in this paper, were alternately performed. The total progress synchronously resulted in PABSA-rGNO nanocomposite. This nanocomposite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The PABSA-rGNO nanocomposite integrated graphene (a single-atom thick, two-dimensional sheet of sp(2) bonded conjugated carbon) with PABSA (owning rich-conjugated structures, functional groups, and excellent electrochemical activity), which could serve as an ideal electrode material for biosensing and electrochemical cell, etc. As an example, the immobilization of the specific probe DNA was successfully conducted via the noncovalent method due to the π-π* interaction between conjugated nanocomposite and DNA bases. The hybridization between the probe DNA and target DNA induced the product dsDNA to be released from conjugated nanocomposite, accompanied with the self-signal regeneration of nanocomposite ("signal-on"). The self-signal changes served as a powerful tool for direct and freely switchable detection of different target genes, and the synergistic effect of PABSA-rGNO nanocomposite effectively improved the sensitivity for the target DNA detection.