Label-free electrochemical detection of nanomolar adenosine based on target-induced aptamer displacement

In this work, a label-free electrochemical sensor based on target-induced displacement is reported with adenosine as the model analyte. The sensing substrate is prepared using a gold electrode modified with a self-assembled monolayer of 1,6-hexanedithiol that mediates the assembly of a gold nanoparticle film, which can increase the surface loading of capture probe and enhance the signal. An aptamer for adenosine is applied to hybridizing with the capture probe, yielding a double-stranded complex of the aptamer and the capture probe on the surface. The interaction of adenosine with the aptamer displaces the aptamer sequence and causes it to dissociate from the interface. This results in a decrease in the amount of aptamer/capture probe duplex form, and, accordingly, the desorption of methylene blue, an electroactive indicator bound to the duplex, from the electrode. Then, the redox current of the indicator can reflect the concentration of the analyte. The fabricated sensor is shown to exhibit high sensitivity, desirable selectivity and a three-decade wide linear range.