A chronocoulometric LNA sensor for amplified detection of K-ras mutation based on site-specific DNA cleavage of restriction endonuclease

An amplified chronocoulometric Locked nucleic acid (LNA) sensor (CLS) for selective electrochemical detection of K-ras mutation was developed based on site-specific DNA cleavage of restriction endonuclease EcoRI. Thiolated-hairpin LNA probe with palindrome structure of stem was immobilized on the gold nanoparticles modified gold electrode (NG/AuE). It can be cleaved by EcoRI in the absence of K-ras mutation-type DNA (complementary with the loop part of hairpin probe), but cannot be cleaved in the presence of mutation-type DNA. The difference before and after enzymatic cleavage was then monitored by chronocoulometric biosensor. Electrochemical signals are generated by chronocoulometric interrogation of Hexaammineruthenium (III) chloride (RuHex) that quantitatively binds to surface-confined hairpin LNA probe via electrostatic interactions. The results suggested this CLS had a good specificity to distinguish the K-ras mutation-type, wild-type and non-complementary sequence. There was a good linear relationship between the charge and the logarithmic function of K-ras mutation-type DNA concentration. The detection limit had been estimated as 0.5 fM. It is possible to qualitatively and quantitatively detect K-ras point mutation in pancreatic cancer.

► LNA shows extraordinary specificity to discriminate the targets that differ by single-base mismatch.
► Chronocoulometric LNA sensor was developed for detection K-ras mutation by EcoRI endonuclease.
► The stem of hairpin LNA probe is special double-stranded DNA that contains a EcoRI recognition site.
► The difference before and after enzymatic cleavage was monitored by chronocoulometric biosensor.