Electrochemical, aptamer-based (E-AB) sensors, which are comprised of an electrode modified with surface immobilized, redox-tagged DNA aptamers, have emerged as a promising new biosensor platform. In order to further improve this technology we have systematically studied the effects of probe (aptamer) packing density, the AC frequency used to interrogate the sensor, and the nature of the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) used to passivate the electrode on the performance of representative E-AB sensors directed against the small molecule cocaine and the protein thrombin. We find that, by controlling the concentration of aptamer employed during sensor fabrication, we can control the density of probe DNA molecules on the electrode surface over an order of magnitude range. Over this range, the gain of the cocaine sensor varies from 60% to 200%, with maximum gain observed near the lowest probe densities. In contrast, over a similar range, the signal change of the thrombin sensor varies from 16% to 42% and optimal signaling is observed at intermediate densities. Above cut-offs at low hertz frequencies, neither sensor displays any significant dependence on the frequency of the alternating potential employed in their interrogation. Finally, we find that E-AB signal gain is sensitive to the nature of the alkanethiol SAM employed to passivate the interrogating electrode; while thinner SAMs lead to higher absolute sensor currents, reducing the length of the SAM from 6-carbons to 2-carbons reduces the observed signal gain of our cocaine sensor 10-fold. We demonstrate that fabrication and operational parameters can be varied to achieve optimal sensor performance and that these can serve as a basic outline for future sensor fabrication.

Alkane thiol self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) have seen widespread utility in the fabrication of electrochemical biosensors. Their utility, however, reflects a potentially significant compromise. While shorter SAMs support efficient electron transfer, they pack poorly and are thus relatively unstable. Longer SAMs are more stable, but suffer from less efficient electron transfer, thus degrading sensor performance. Here we use the electrochemical DNA (E-DNA) sensor platform to compare the signaling and stability of biosensors fabricated using a short, six-carbon monothiol with those employing either of two commercially available, trihexylthiol anchors (a flexible Letsinger-type and a rigid adamantane type). We find that all three anchors support efficient electron transfer and E-DNA signaling, with the gain, specificity and selectivity of all three being effectively indistinguishable. The stabilities of the three anchors, however, vary significantly. Sensors anchored with the flexible trithiol exhibit enhanced stability, retaining 75% of their original signal and maintaining excellent signaling properties after 50 days storage in buffer. Likewise these sensors exhibit excellent temperature stability and robustness to electrochemical interrogation. The stability of sensors fabricated using the rigid trithiol anchor, by comparison, are similar to those of the monothiol. Both exhibit significant (>60%) loss of signal upon wet storage or thermocycling. Employing a flexible trithiol anchor in the fabrication of SAM-based electrochemical biosensors may provide a means of improving sensor robustness without sacrificing electron transfer efficiency or otherwise impeding sensor performance.

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