A label-free electrochemical aptasensor based on graphene oxide/double-stranded DNA nanocomposite

A novel label-free electrochemical impedance aptasensor based on a gold nanoparticles/double-stranded DNA-graphene (AuNPs/dsDNA-GO) nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode was presented for quantitative determination of thrombin. GO was covalently functionalized with dsDNA via a facile amidation process, and then AuNPs were electrodeposited onto the surface of dsDNA-GO. The morphology, conductivity and interaction of the as-prepared nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The thrombin-binding aptamer (TBA) was conjugated to AuNPs via gold-thiol chemistry to construct electrochemical aptasensing platform, and the specific recognition between TBA and thrombin was monitored by EIS. Under optimum conditions, thrombin could be quantified in a wide range of 0.1–100   nM ( R 2   =   0.9960) with low detection limit of 0.06   nM (S/N   =   3).