An electrochemical supersandwich assay for sensitive and selective DNA detection in complex matrices

Abstract

In a traditional sandwich assay, a DNA target hybridizes to a single copy of the signal probe. Here we employ a modified signal probe containing a methylene blue (a redox moiety) label and a “sticky end.” When a DNA target hybridizes this signal probe, the sticky end remains free to hybridize another target leading to the creation of a supersandwich structure containing multiple labels. This leads to large signal amplification upon monitoring by voltammetry.