Graphene-based nanoprobes for molecular diagnostics

Abstract

In recent years, graphene has received widespread attention owing to its extraordinary electrical, chemical, optical, mechanical and structural properties. Lately, considerable interest has been focused on exploring the potential applications of graphene in life sciences, particularly in disease-related molecular diagnostics. In particular, the coupling of functional molecules with graphene as a nanoprobe offers an excellent platform to realize the detection of biomarkers, such as nucleic acids, proteins and other bioactive molecules, with high performance. This article reviews emerging graphene-based nanoprobes in electrical, optical and other assay methods and their application in various strategies of molecular diagnostics. In particular, this review focuses on the construction of graphene-based nanoprobes and their special advantages for the detection of various bioactive molecules. Properties of graphene-based materials and their functionalization are also comprehensively discussed in view of the development of nanoprobes. Finally, future challenges and perspectives of graphene-based nanoprobes are discussed.

A Novel Graphene Oxide-Based Aptasensor for Amplified Fluorescent Detection of Aflatoxin M1 in Milk Powder

“…GO has many advantages due to its unique properties, including its great binding ability to single-stranded DNA (such as aptamers) through π stacking interactions between nucleobases and GO nanosheets and its high distance-dependent fluorescence quenching performance [35,39]. A GO-based aptasensor for the detection of AFM 1 was developed taking advantage of the above properties.…”

Nanobiosensors in diagnostics

“…Second, oxygen acts as reactive groups to tailor other molecules, giving the possibility to introduce the desired functionalization. 159 However, introducing oxygen groups in the carbon structure generates defects in the uniformity of the carbon lattice, making the resulting structure less planar. 160 In the particular case of electrochemical biosensors, edges and defects in the GO structure introduce points for electron transfer between the electrode and the solution (heterogeneous electron transfer), 153 an interesting property for the electrochemical measurements and electrochemistry FET built using graphene sheets acting as gates label-free detection through the antibodies immobilized on the graphene; Troponin I standards in buffer.…”

“…Second, oxygen acts as reactive groups to tailor other molecules, giving the possibility to introduce the desired functionalization. 159…”

Size-dependent modulation of graphene oxide–aptamer interactions for an amplified fluorescence-based detection of aflatoxin B1 with a tunable dynamic range

“…47,48 Indeed, several fluorescent biosensors have been successfully developed for the detection of DNA, proteins, small molecules, and ions, by relying on the strong binding of hydrophobic small molecules and ssDNA with GO and/or the fluorescence-quenching capability of GO. [49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56] One additional benefit is that the GO has been shown to protect DNA or RNA aptamers from nuclease cleavage, which has been attributed to the hydrophobic stacking interactions between the nucleobases and graphene. [57][58][59][60][61][62] Despite these advances, few studies have taken advantage of both the DNA/RNA protection and the nanometer size effect of GO for amplified detection.…”