title: Nanomaterial-assisted signal enhancement of hybridization for DNA biosensors: a review.
abstract: Detection of DNA sequences has received broad attention due to its potential applications in a variety of fields. As sensitivity of DNA biosensors is determined by signal variation of hybridization events, the signal enhancement is of great significance for improving the sensitivity in DNA detection, which still remains a great challenge. Nanomaterials, which possess some unique chemical and physical properties caused by nanoscale effects, provide a new opportunity for developing novel nanomaterial-based signal-enhancers for DNA biosensors. In this review, recent progress concerning this field, including some newly-developed signal enhancement approaches using quantum-dots, carbon nanotubes and their composites reported by our group and other researchers are comprehensively summarized. Reports on signal enhancement of DNA biosensors by non-nanomaterials, such as enzymes and polymer reagents, are also reviewed for comparison. Furthermore, the prospects for developing DNA biosensors using nanomaterials as signal-enhancers in future are also indicated.
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Sensing and Advanced Robot Technology, Institute of Intelligent Machines, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China.
authors.forename: Jinhuai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jinyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Liangbao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Meiyun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Fanli
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Minqiang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li