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Detection of DNA hybridization using a cationic polyfluorene polymer as an enhancer of luminol chemiluminescence

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Abstract

The water-soluble conjugated polymer poly[(9,9-di(3,3-N,N-trimethylammonium)propylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-alt-co-(1,4-phenylene)] dibromide (referred to as PFP+) is shown to represent a useful reagent for the detection of DNA hybridization. The intensity of the chemiluminescence (CL) of the luminol-H2O2 system is strongly enhanced in the presence of PFP+, but this enhancement is inhibited after electrostatic interaction between PFP+ and DNA as shown for oligomers of lengths between 12 and 35 bases. CL decreases more strongly in the presence of ds-DNA than in the presence of ss-DNA. Hybridization between probe DNA and target DNA results in a weaker effect of PFP+ and in reduced CL emission. These finding are exploited in a homogeneous CL based assay for medium-length DNA (12 to 35 bp). The detection limit (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3σ) is 3.0 pM.

A cationic conjugated polymer (PFP+) is shown to give a large enhancement effect on luminol–H2O2. Chemiluminescence is decreased on interaction between polymer and ssDNA, and then further reduced on hybridization

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Acknowledgments

This study is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21405101 and 21475083) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. GK201402043).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science of Shaanxi Province, College of Food Engineering and Nutritional Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, 710062, China

    Mei Liu

  2. Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science of Shaanxi Province, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Xi’an, 710062, China

    Baoxin Li

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  1. Mei Liu
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  2. Baoxin Li
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Correspondence to Mei Liu or Baoxin Li.

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Liu, M., Li, B. Detection of DNA hybridization using a cationic polyfluorene polymer as an enhancer of luminol chemiluminescence. Microchim Acta 183, 897–903 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1735-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1735-x

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