title: Signal amplification strategies for DNA and protein detection based on polymeric nanocomposites and polymerization: A review.
abstract: Demand is increasing for ultrasensitive bioassays for disease diagnosis, environmental monitoring and other research areas. This requires novel signal amplification strategies to maximize the signal output. In this review, we focus on a series of significant signal amplification strategies based on polymeric nanocomposites and polymerization. Some common polymers are used as carriers to increase the local concentration of signal probes and/or biomolecules on their surfaces or in their interiors. Some polymers with special fluorescence and optical properties can efficiently transfer the excitation energy from a single site to the whole polymer backbone. This results in superior fluorescence signal amplification due to the resulting collective effort (integration of signal). Recent polymerization-based signal amplification strategies that employ atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and photo-initiated polymerization are also summarized. Several distinctive applications of polymers in ultrasensitive bioanalysis are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangning District, Nanjing 211189, PR China.
authors.forename: Shaohong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangning District, Nanjing 211189, PR China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangning District, Nanjing 211189, PR China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangning District, Nanjing 211189, PR China.
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangning District, Nanjing 211189, PR China. Electronic address: liusq@seu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Songqin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D058105:Polymerization; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D011506:Proteins; D004247:DNA
keywords: Atom transfer radical polymerization; Biosensor; Conjugated polymers; Polymeric DNA dendrimers; Polymerization; Signal amplification