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Graphene-DNAzyme-based fluorescent biosensor for Escherichia coli detection

  • 2D Nanomaterials for Healthcare and Lab-on-a-Chip Devices Research Letter
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Abstract

Herein we describe the use of a new DNAzyme/graphene hybrid material as a biointerfaced sensing platform for optical detection of pathogenic bacteria. The hybrid consists of a colloidal graphene nanomaterial and an Escherichia coli-activated RNA-cleaving DNAzyme and is prepared via non-covalent self-assembly of the DNAzyme onto the graphene surface. Exposure of the hybrid material to E. coli-containing samples results in the release of the DNAzyme, followed by the cleavage-mediated production of a fluorescent signal. Given that specific RNA-cleaving DNAzymes can be created for diverse bacterial pathogens, direct interfacing of graphene materials with such DNAzymes represents a general and attractive approach for real-time, sensitive, and highly selective detection of pathogenic bacteria.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this work was provided by Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada Discovery Grants (J.D.B. and Y.L.), the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Ontario Ministry for Research and Innovation. Part of the work was conducted at the McMaster Biointerfaces Institute. J.D.B. holds the Canada Research Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry and Biointerfaces.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada

    Meng Liu, John D. Brennan & Yingfu Li

  2. Biointerfaces Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4O3, Canada

    Meng Liu, Qiang Zhang, John D. Brennan & Yingfu Li

  3. School of Environmental Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China

    Meng Liu

  4. School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China

    Qiang Zhang

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  1. Meng Liu
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  4. Yingfu Li
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Correspondence to John D. Brennan or Yingfu Li.

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Liu, M., Zhang, Q., Brennan, J.D. et al. Graphene-DNAzyme-based fluorescent biosensor for Escherichia coli detection. MRS Communications 8, 687–694 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrc.2018.97

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