A series of surface plasmonic fibre devices were fabricated using multiple coatings deposited on a lapped section of a
single mode fibre and post-fabrication UV laser irradiation processing with a phase mask, producing a surface relief
grating structure. These devices showed high spectral sensitivity in the aqueous index regime ranging up to 4000
nm/RIU for wavelength and 800 dB/RIU for intensity. The devices were then coated with human thrombin binding
aptamer. Several concentrations of thrombin in buffer solution were made, ranging from 1nM to 1μM. All the
concentrations were detectable by the devices demonstrating that sub-nM concentrations may be monitored.
Aptamers are single stranded DNA or RNA ligands which can be selected for different targets starting from a library of molecules containing randomly created sequences. Aptamers have been selected to bind very different targets, from proteins to small organic dyes. Aptamers are proposed as alternatives to antibodies as biorecognition elements in analytical devices with ever increasing frequency. This in order to satisfy the demand for quick, cheap, simple and highly reproducible analytical devices, especially for protein detection in the medical field or for the detection of smaller molecules in environmental and food analysis. In our recent experience, DNA and RNA aptamers, specific for three different proteins (Tat, IgE and thrombin), have been exploited as bio-recognition elements to develop specific biosensors (aptasensors). These recognition elements have been coupled to piezoelectric quartz crystals and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) devices as transducers where the aptamers have been immobilized on the gold surface of the crystals electrodes or on SPR chips, respectively.
Disposable electrochemical DNA-based biosensors are reviewed; they have been used for the determination of low- molecular weight compounds with affinity for nucleic acids and for the detection of hybridization reaction. The first application is related to the molecular interaction between surface-linked DNA and pollutants or drugs, in order to develop a simple device for rapid screening of toxic compounds. The determination of such compounds was measured by their effect simple device for rapid screening of toxic compounds. The determination of such compounds was measured by their effect on the oxidation signal of the guanine peak of calf thymus DNA immobilized on the electrode surface and investigated by chronopotentiometric or voltammetric analysis. Applicability to river and wastewater sample is demonstrated. Moreover, disposable electrochemical sensors for the detection of a specific sequence of DNA were realized by immobilizing synthetic single-stranded oligonucleotides onto a graphite screen-printed electrode. The probes because hybridized with different concentrations of complementary sequences present in the sample. The hybrids formed on the electrode surface were evaluated by chronopotentiometric analysis using daunomycin as the indicator of the hybridization reaction. The hybridization was also performed using real samples. Application to apolipoprotein E is described, in this case samples have to be amplified by PCR and then analyzed by the DNA biosensor. The extension of such procedures to samples of environmental interest or to contamination of food is discussed.
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