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Intercalated doxorubicin acting as stimulator of PbS photocathode for probing DNA–protein interactions

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Abstract

Label-free and turn-on DNA-binding protein detection based on the doxorubicin (Dox)-intercalated DNA as a signal stimulator in cathodic photoelectrochemistry is reported. The double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) acted as the matrix accommodating the intercalative Dox and allowed its effective photoelectrochemical (PEC) communication with the PbS quantum dots (QDs) for realizing cathodic photocurrent readout. In the presence of the target of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the dsDNA was prevented from being digested by the exonuclease III (Exo III), allowing the anchor of Dox to perform as activation stimuli of the photocurrent. The VEGF can be detected in the linear range from 1.5 pM to 100 nM, with an impressively low detection limit of 0.49 pM. This study hints the prospect of DNA intercalated architectures as innovative signaling transduction elements for wide and versatile cathodic PEC bioassays.

Graphical abstract

Effective signaling molecules that are conducive to probe-related cathodic PEC bioassays using DNA as the recognition or signification elements are scarce but very demanding. Herein, the doxorubicin intercalated in duplex DNA functions as an efficient signal stimulator of PbS-consisted photocathode, and thus hints the versatility of the strategy for various targets through cathodic photoelectrochemistry.

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Funding

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21575052, 21676123), National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2018YFC1603001), and the National First-class Discipline Program of Food Science and Technology (JUFSTR20180301).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Biological Colloids (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China

    Yuting Gong, Mengmeng Gu, Menghua Yan & Guang-Li Wang

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  1. Yuting Gong
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  2. Mengmeng Gu
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  3. Menghua Yan
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  4. Guang-Li Wang
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Correspondence to Guang-Li Wang.

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Gong, Y., Gu, M., Yan, M. et al. Intercalated doxorubicin acting as stimulator of PbS photocathode for probing DNA–protein interactions. Microchim Acta 188, 426 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-021-05103-6

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