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Label-free aptasensor for thrombin using a glassy carbon electrode modified with a graphene-porphyrin composite

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Abstract

We report on an electrochemical aptasensor for the ultrasensitive determination of thrombin. A glassy carbon electrode modified with a graphene-porphyrin nanocomposite exhibits excellent electrochemical activity and can be used as a redox probe in differential pulse voltammetry of the porphyrin on its surface. The thrombin aptamer is then immobilized via p-stacking interactions between aptamer and graphene and π-π stacking with porphyrin simultaneously. The resulting electrochemical aptasensor displays a linear response to thrombin in the 5–1,500 nM concentration range and with a limit of detection of 0.2 nM (at an S/N of 3). The sensor benefits from the synergetic effects of graphene (with its high conductivity and high surface area), of the porphyrin (possessing excellent electrochemical activity), and of the aptamer (with its high affinity and specificity). This kind of aptasensor conceivably represents a promising tool for bioanalytical applications.

The representation of the sensing procedure for analysis of thrombin based on the TA/GN-Por/GCE by an electrochemical strategy

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Acknowledgments

This research work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21275093, 21175086 and 81241137).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Environmental Science, and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, China

    Hongfen Zhang, Shaomin Shuang, Linlin Sun & Chuan Dong

  2. School of Pharmaceutical Science, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China

    Hongfen Zhang & Anjia Chen

  3. State Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion, Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Taiyuan, 030001, People’s Republic of China

    Yong Qin

Authors
  1. Hongfen Zhang
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  2. Shaomin Shuang
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  3. Linlin Sun
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Correspondence to Anjia Chen or Chuan Dong.

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Zhang, H., Shuang, S., Sun, L. et al. Label-free aptasensor for thrombin using a glassy carbon electrode modified with a graphene-porphyrin composite. Microchim Acta 181, 189–196 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-013-1093-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-013-1093-5

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