Hybridization chain reaction-based colorimetric aptasensor of adenosine 5'-triphosphate on unmodified gold nanoparticles and two label-free hairpin probes.
This work designs a new label-free aptasensor for the colorimetric determination of small molecules (adenosine 5'-triphosphate, ATP) by using visible gold nanoparticles as the signal-generation tags, based on target-triggered hybridization chain reaction (HCR) between two hairpin DNA probes. The assay is carried out referring to the change in the color/absorbance by salt-induced aggregation of gold nanoparticles after the interaction with hairpins, gold nanoparticles and ATP. To construct such an assay system, two hairpin DNA probes with a short single-stranded DNA at the sticky end are utilized for interaction with gold nanoparticles. In the absence of target ATP, the hairpin DNA probes can prevent gold nanoparticles from the salt-induced aggregation through the interaction of the single-stranded DNA at the sticky end with gold nanoparticles. Upon target ATP introduction, the aptamer-based hairpin probe is opened to expose a new sticky end for the strand-displacement reaction with another complementary hairpin, thus resulting in the decreasing single-stranded DNA because of the consumption of hairpins. In this case, gold nanoparticles are uncovered owing to the formation of double-stranded DNA, which causes their aggregation upon addition of the salt, thereby leading to the change in the red-to-blue color. Under the optimal conditions, the HCR-based colorimetric assay presents good visible color or absorbance responses for the determination of target ATP at a concentration as low as 1.0nM. Importantly, the methodology can be further extended to quantitatively or qualitatively monitor other small molecules or biotoxins by changing the sequence of the corresponding aptamer.
Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection for Food Safety (MOE & Fujian Province), Collaborative Innovation Center of Detection Technology for Haixi Food Safety and Products (Fujian Province), State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, Department of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, PR China.
Zhuangqiang
Z
Gao
Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection for Food Safety (MOE & Fujian Province), Collaborative Innovation Center of Detection Technology for Haixi Food Safety and Products (Fujian Province), State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, Department of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, PR China.
Zhenli
Z
Qiu
Institute of Environmental and Analytical Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan, PR China. Electronic address: minghualu88@yeah.net.
Minghua
M
Lu
Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection for Food Safety (MOE & Fujian Province), Collaborative Innovation Center of Detection Technology for Haixi Food Safety and Products (Fujian Province), State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, Department of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, PR China.
Jian
J
Shu
Key Laboratory of Analysis and Detection for Food Safety (MOE & Fujian Province), Collaborative Innovation Center of Detection Technology for Haixi Food Safety and Products (Fujian Province), State Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis on Energy and Environment, Department of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, PR China. Electronic address: dianping.tang@fzu.edu.cn.
Dianping
D
Tang
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000737:chemistry; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D003124:Colorimetry; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization
D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D006046:Gold; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate
Adenosine 5′-triphosphate; Colorimetric aptasensor; Gold nanoparticles; Hybridization chain reaction; Label-free hairpin probe