Amplified electrochemiluminescence detection of DNA-binding protein based on the synergy effect of electron and energy transfer between CdS nanocrystals and gold nanoparticles

► The presence of both electron transfer and energy transfer between CdS NCs and Au NPs was firstly enunciated. ► SiO2@CdS nanocomposites were used as DNA tags for DNA-binding protein biosensing. ► Based on the synergy effect between electron and energy transfer, ECL signal from CdS NCs was amplified. ► The work exploited advanced ECL bioassay for DNA-binding protein.