title: Aptamer sensor for cocaine using minor groove binder based energy transfer.
abstract: We report on an optical aptamer sensor for cocaine detection. The cocaine sensitive fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled aptamer underwent a conformational change from a partial single-stranded DNA with a short hairpin to a double-stranded T-junction in the presence of the target. The DNA minor groove binder Hoechst 33342 selectively bound to the double-stranded T-junction, bringing the dye within the Förster radius of FITC, and therefore initiating minor groove binder based energy transfer (MBET), and reporting on the presence of cocaine. The sensor showed a detection limit of 0.2 μM. The sensor was also implemented on a carboxy-functionalized polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface by covalently immobilizing DNA aptamers. The ability of surface-bound cocaine detection is crucial for the development of microfluidic sensors.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
authors.forename: Jinwen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Amanda V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: Hilton
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobus
authors.forename: Nicolas H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Voelcker
mesh_terms: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000737:chemistry*; D001665:Binding Sites; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000032:analysis*; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate / Q000737:chemistry*; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D013287:Illicit Drugs; C013830:baysilon; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D003042:Cocaine