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Sensitive voltammetric determination of DNA via a target-induced strand-displacement reaction using quantum dot-labeled probe DNA

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Abstract

This article reports on a new square-wave anodic-stripping voltammetric method for sensitive determination of nucleic acids. It is based on a target-induced strand displacement reaction with blocker DNA (labeled with a CdS quantum dot) from a biotinylated hairpin DNA. First, a hairpin-blocker DNA duplex was immobilized on the surface of the well in a microtiter plate via biotin-streptavidin interaction. On addition of target DNA to the well, the CdS-labeled blocker DNA is displaced by target DNA from the hairpin-blocker duplex to form a new target-blocker DNA duplex. This is accompanied by the release of CdS-labeled blocker DNA. Next, cadmium ions are released from the Q-dots (by adding 1 M nitric acid) and then quantified by anodic stripping voltammetry using an in-situ prepared mercury film electrode. The voltammetric signal increases with the concentration of target DNA in the 5.0 pM to 1.0 nM concentration range, and the detection limit is as low as 1.2 pM. The assay has a good repeatability and displays an intermediate precision of down to 10 %.

The voltammetric nucleic acid assay is based on a target-induced strand displacement reaction between hairpin DNA and CdS quantum dot-labeled blocker DNA, and subsequent release and quantitation of Cd(II) ions.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no.: 21405128) and the Research (Initial) Fund for the Doctoral Program of Xinxiang University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Biotechnology, Xinxiang University, Xinxiang, 453000, People’s Republic of China

    Ai-Li Sun, Yan-Fang Zhang & Xuan-Nian Wang

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  1. Ai-Li Sun
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  2. Yan-Fang Zhang
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  3. Xuan-Nian Wang
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Correspondence to Ai-Li Sun or Xuan-Nian Wang.

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Sun, AL., Zhang, YF. & Wang, XN. Sensitive voltammetric determination of DNA via a target-induced strand-displacement reaction using quantum dot-labeled probe DNA. Microchim Acta 182, 1403–1410 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1467-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1467-y

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