Highly efficient electrochemical sensing platform for sensitive detection DNA methylation, and methyltransferase activity based on Ag NPs decorated carbon nanocubes

- A novel electrochemical method is developed for detection of DNA methylation and DNA MTase activity.
- The biosensor can detect DNA MTase down to 0.03 U/mL level with a wider linear range from 0.05 to 120 U/mL.
- The newly designed strategy avoid the requirement of deoxygenation for electrochemical assay.

In this paper, we reported a sensitive and selective electrochemical method for quantify DNA methylation, analyzing DNA MTase activity and screening of MTase inhibitor based on silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) decorated carbon nanocubes (CNCs) as signal tag. The Ag NPs/CNCs was prepared by in situ growth of nanosilver on carboxylated CNCs and used as a tracing tag to label antibody. The sensor was prepared by immobilizing the double DNA helix structure on the surface of gold electrode. When DNA MTase was introduced, the probe was methylated. Successively, anti-5-methylcytosine antibody labeled Ag NPs/CNCs was specifically conjugated on the CpG methylation site. The electrochemical stripping signal of the Ag NPs was used to monitor the activity of MTase. The electrochemical signal has a linear relationship with M.SssI activities ranging from 0.05 to 120 U/mL with a detection limit of 0.03 U/mL. In addition, we also demonstrated the method could be used for rapid evaluation and screening of the inhibitors of MTase. The newly designed strategy avoid the requirement of deoxygenation for electrochemical assay, and thus provide a promising potential in clinical application.