Reversible thrombin detection by aptamer functionalized STING sensors

• Published in: Biosensors & bioelectronics 2011-07, Vol.26 (11), p.4503-4507
• Main Authors: Actis, Paolo, Rogers, Adam, Nivala, Jeff, Vilozny, Boaz, Seger, R. Adam, Jejelowo, Olufisayo, Pourmand, Nader
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aptamer; Aptamers, Nucleotide; Biological and medical sciences; Biosensing Techniques - instrumentation; Biosensing Techniques - methods; biosensors; Biotechnology; Blood Chemical Analysis - instrumentation; Blood Chemical Analysis - methods; Electrochemical Techniques; electrochemistry; Equipment Design; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Label-free; Nanopipette; Nanopore; Nanopores; Nanotechnology; oligonucleotides; quartz; Signal Transduction; STING; Thrombin; Thrombin - analysis
• ISSN: 0956-5663; 1873-4235
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2011.05.010

Signal Transduction by Ion NanoGating (STING) is a label-free technology based on functionalized quartz nanopipettes. The nanopipette pore can be decorated with a variety of recognition elements and the molecular interaction is transduced via a simple electrochemical system. A STING sensor can be easily and reproducibly fabricated and tailored at the bench starting from inexpensive quartz capillaries. The analytical application of this new biosensing platform, however, was limited due to the difficult correlation between the measured ionic current and the analyte concentration in solution. Here we show that STING sensors functionalized with aptamers allow the quantitative detection of thrombin. The binding of thrombin generates a signal that can be directly correlated to its concentration in the bulk solution.