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Aptamer-based competitive electrochemical assay of small biomolecules

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Abstract

A convenient aptamer-based competitive electrochemical biosensor for a small biomolecule, adenosine, was described. The sensing surface was fabricated by self-assembly of an aptamer/mercaptohexanol monolayer on a gold disk electrode. The principle of this aptasensor is based on the competition between an adenosine target molecule and a ferrocene-conjugated signaling DNA strand for the aptamer binding site on the sensing surface. Due to the competitive nature of this assay, the electrochemical responses of the surface captured ferrocene are inversely proportional to log[adenosine] in the range from 0.05 to 3.2 μM, with a detection limit of 25 nM. Moreover, the aptasensor also shows high selectivity for adenosine. The proposed aptasensor thus holds great potential for the detection of other small biomolecules.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory on Luminescence and Real-Time Analysis, Ministry of Education; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China

    YuYong Zhang, Yun Xiang, YaQin Chai & Ruo Yuan

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  1. YuYong Zhang
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  2. Yun Xiang
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  3. YaQin Chai
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  4. Ruo Yuan
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Correspondence to Yun Xiang or Ruo Yuan.

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Zhang, Y., Xiang, Y., Chai, Y. et al. Aptamer-based competitive electrochemical assay of small biomolecules. Sci. China Chem. 54, 822–826 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-010-4129-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-010-4129-2

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