title: Visual optical biosensors based on DNA-functionalized polyacrylamide hydrogels.
abstract: Biosensors are devices that can provide quantitative or semi-quantitative analytical information about target molecules, where molecular recognition is based on biomolecular interactions. In recent years, DNA has emerged as a useful molecule for biosensor development since DNA can not only recognize its complementary strand, but also metal ions, small molecules, proteins and cells utilizing DNA aptamer technology. Converting DNA binding events into useful biosensors often require sensor immobilization. Among the various materials for sensor immobilization, hydrogels are particularly attractive. Hydrogels are crosslinked hydrophilic polymer networks that undergo swelling in water. In a gel, DNA immobilization can take place in 3D, allowing for high DNA loading capacity. Hydrogels are transparent, offering low optical background. The gel volume is affected by many environmental parameters such as temperature, pH, ionic strength, and solvent composition. In this paper, we present a concise summary of recent developments in DNA-functionalized hydrogel biosensors for visual detection. Detailed methods for immobilizing DNA biosensors in monolithic polyacrylamide gels and gel microparticles are supplied.
authors: Department of Chemistry and Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
authors: Imran
authors: I
authors: Khimji
authors: Erin Y
authors: EY
authors: Kelly
authors: Youssef
authors: Y
authors: Helwa
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Hoang
authors: Juewen
authors: J
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D044367:Phase Transition; D000099166:Polyacrylamides
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D004247:DNA; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D020100:Hydrogels; D000099166:Polyacrylamides
keywords: Aptamers; Biosensors; DNA; Fluorescence; Hydrogels