Direct electrochemical stripping detection of cystic-fibrosis-related DNA linked through cadmium sulfide quantum dots

Electrochemical detection of a cadmium sulfide quantum dots (CdS QDs)-DNA complex connected to paramagnetic microbeads (MB) was performed without the need for chemical dissolving. The method is based on dropping 20νl of CdS QD-DNA-MB suspension on the surface of a screen-printed electrode. It is followed by magnetic collection on the surface of the working electrode and electrochemical detection using square-wave voltammetry (SWV), giving a well-shaped and sensitive analytical signal. A cystic-fibrosis-related DNA sequence was sandwiched between the two DNA probes. One DNA probe is linked via biotin-streptavidin bonding with MB and the other one via thiol groups with the CdS QD used as tags. Nonspecific signals of DNA were minimized using a blocking agent and the results obtained were successfully employed in a model DNA sensor with an interest in future applications in the clinical field. The developed nanoparticle biosensing system may offer numerous opportunities in other fields where fast, low cost and efficient detection of small volume samples is required. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.