title: DNA-CNT nanowire networks for DNA detection.
abstract: The ability to detect biological analytes in a rapid, sensitive, operationally simple, and cost-effective manner will impact human health and safety. Hybrid biocatalyzed-carbon nanotube (CNT) nanowire-based detection methods offer a highly sensitive and specific platform for the fabrication of simple and effective conductometric devices. Here, we report a conductivity-based DNA detection method utilizing carbon nanotube-DNA nanowire devices and oligonucleotide-functionalized enzyme probes. Key to our sensor design is a DNA-linked-CNT wire motif, which forms a network of interrupted carbon nanotube wires connecting two electrodes. Sensing occurs at the DNA junctions linking CNTs, followed by amplification using enzymatic metalization leading to a conductimetric response. The DNA analyte detection limit is 10 fM with the ability to discriminate single, double, and triple base pair mismatches. DNA-CNT nanowires and device sensing gaps were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal Raman microscopy, supporting the enhanced conductometric response resulting from nanowire metallization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
authors.forename: Yossi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Weizmann
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Chenoweth
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Swager
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D015342:DNA Probes / Q000737:chemistry; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D053770:Nanowires / Q000737:chemistry*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D004247:DNA