Morphology-Controlled 9,10-Diphenylanthracene Nanoblocks as Electrochemiluminescence Emitters for MicroRNA Detection with One-Step DNA Walker Amplification

Abstract

The electrochemiluminescence (ECL) properties of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are excellent on account of the high photoluminescence quantum yield. However, the poor solubility and radical instability of PAHs in the aqueous solution severely restricted further biological application. Here 9,10-diphenylanthracene (DPA) nanoblocks (NBs) with good dispersibility and stability in aqueous solution were prepared according to morphology-controlled technology employing water-soluble polymers as a protectant. Furthermore, an ECL "off-on" switch biosensor was developed based on a novel ECL ternary system with DPA NBs as luminophore, dissolved O as coreactant, and Pt-Ag alloy nanoflowers as the coreaction accelerator, which achieved a high-intense initial ECL signal. Subsequently, the Fc-DNA as ECL signal quencher was assembled on the electrode surface to quench the initial ECL signal for a "signal-off" state. Meanwhile, DNA swing arm was modified on the electrode surface for one-step DNA walker amplification. Interestingly, in the presence of miRNA-141 and T7 Exo, the one-step DNA walker amplification was executed to recover a strong ECL signal as a "signal-on" state by the digestion of Fc-DNA. Thus the developed ECL "off-on" switch biosensor possesses a detection limit down to 29.5 aM for ultrasensitive detection of miRNA-141, which is expected to be applicable to the detection of miRNA in clinic tumor cells.

Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence for Immunoassay Applications

“…Early studies suggest the introduction of sulfonate, carbonate, or carboxylate groups to the structures of DPA and rubrene in order to make them more soluble. A recent method used nanotechnology and emulsion modification to produce ECL in various water-soluble PAHs luminophores [46][47][48].…”

Application of DNA walker in biosensing and living cell imaging

“…图 15 外源性Mn 2+ 特异性的DNAzyme步行器用于细胞内 miRNA的成像 [8] (网络版彩图) [22,112,113] . 由于蛋白酶发挥活性的条件苛刻且其本身 难以被递送到细胞中, 蛋白酶驱动的DNA步行器在检 测细胞内生物分子的应用上具有一定的局限性.…”

Rational engineering the DNA tetrahedrons of dual wavelength ratiometric electrochemiluminescence biosensor for high efficient detection of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp gene by using entropy-driven and bipedal DNA walker amplification strategy

“…In addition, the spontaneously, controllably, and continuously moveable enzyme-driven DNA walker on the track was introduced into biosensors as an amplification strategy [36] . Yuan’s research group used a single-step DNA walker to detect miRNA-141 [37] . Lei and his colleagues designed a single-step, two-site DNA walker to detect the target DNA [38] .…”