An electrochemical genosensor for Leishmania major detection based on dual effect of immobilization and electrocatalysis of cobalt-zinc ferrite quantum dots

Identification of Leishmania parasites is important in diagnosis and clinical studies of leishmaniasis. Although epidemiological and clinical methods are available, they are not sufficient for identification of causative agents of leishmaniasis. In the present study, quantum dots of magnetic cobalt-zinc ferrite (Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4) were synthesized and characterized by physicochemical methods. The quantum dots were then employed as an electrode modifier to immobilize a 24-mer specific single stranded DNA probe, and fabrication of a label-free, PCR-free and signal-on electrochemical genosensor for the detection of Leishmania major. Hybridization of the complementary single stranded DNA sequence with the probe under the selected conditions was explored using methylene blue as a redox marker, utilizing the electrocatalytic effect of the quantum dots on the methylene blue electroreduction process. The genosensor could detect a synthetic single stranded DNA target in a range of 1.0×10(-11) to 1.0×10(-18)molL(-1) with a limit of detection of 2.0×10(-19)molL(-1), and genomic DNA in a range of 7.31×10(-14) to 7.31×10(-6)ngμL(-1) with a limit of detection of 1.80×10(-14)ngμL(-1) with a high selectivity and sensitivity.