DNA biosensor based on the electrochemiluminescence of Ru(bpy)32+ with DNA-binding intercalators

This paper reports a novel detection method for DNA hybridization based on the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of Ru(bpy)32+ with a DNA-binding intercalator as a reductant of Ru(bpy)33+. Some ECL-inducible intercalators have been screened in this study using electrochemical methods combined with a chemiluminescent technique. The double-stranded DNA intercalated by doxorubicin, daunorubicin, or 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) shows a good ECL with Ru(bpy)32+ at + 1.19 V (versus Ag/AgCl), while the non-intercalated single-stranded DNA does not. In order to stabilize the self-assembled DNA molecules during ECL reaction, we constructed the ECL DNA biosensor separating the ECL working electrode with an immobilized DNA probe. A gold electrode array on a plastic plate was assembled with a thru-hole array where oligonucleotide probes were immobilized in the side wall of thru-hole array. The fabricated ECL DNA biosensor was used to detect several pathogens using ECL technique. A good specificity of single point mutations for hepatitis disease was obtained by using the DAPI-intercalated Ru(bpy)32+ ECL.