Cascaded multiple amplification strategy for ultrasensitive detection of HIV/HCV virus DNA

• Enzymes-based target recycling strategy was utilized for signal amplification.
• The HIV and HCV virus DNA can be detected by the same strategy.
• High sensitivity and specificity are achieved by the label-free strategy.
• The single-based mismatched DNA can be distinguished by fluorescence and naked eyes.

Ultrasensitive detection of HIV and HCV virus DNA is of great importance for early accurate diagnostics and therapy of HIV virus-infected patients. Herein, to our best knowledge, it is the first to use DNA cascaded multiple amplification strategy for ultrasensitive detection of HIV virus DNA with G-quadruplex-specific fluorescent or colorimetric probes as signal carriers. The developed strategy also exhibited universal applicability for HCV virus DNA detection. After reaction for about 4 h, high sensitivity and specificity can be achieved at both fluorescent and colorimetric strategies (limit of detection (LOD) of 10 fM and 0.5 pM were reached for fluorescent and colorimetric detection, respectively). And the single-based mismatched DNA even can be distinguished by naked eyes. It is believed that the cascaded multiple amplification strategy presents a huge advance in sensing platform and potential application in future clinical diagnosis.

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