Single-Nanoparticle Collision Electrochemistry Biosensor Based on an Electrocatalytic Strategy for Highly Sensitive and Specific Detection of H7N9 Avian Influenza Virus

Single-nanoparticle collision electrochemistry (SNCE) has gradually become an attractive analytical method due to its advantages in analytical detection, such as a fast response, low cost, low sample consumption, and in situ real-time detection of analytes. However, the biological analyte's direct detection based on the SNCE blocking mode has the problems of low sensitivity and specificity. In this work, an SNCE biosensor based on SNCE electrocatalytic strategy was used for the detection of H7N9 AIV. Nucleic acid aptamers were introduced to recognize the target virus (H7N9 AIV). After the recognition event, ssDNA(1) was released and hybridized with another ssDNA(2). Owing to the nicking endonuclease Nt.AlwI-mediated target nucleic acid cyclic amplification, one virus particle can indirectly induce the release of 4.2 x 10(6) Au NPs that can be counted by the SNCE electrocatalytic strategy. The high conversion efficiency greatly improved the detection sensitivity, and the detection limit was as low as 24.3 fg/mL. Therefor; the constructed biosensor can achieve a highly sensitive and specific detection of H7N9 AIV and show a great potential in bioanalytical application.

Automated summary

This paper presents a highly sensitive and specific biosensor for the detection of H7N9 avian influenza virus based on single-nanoparticle collision electrochemistry (SNCE) and electrocatalytic strategy. By introducing nucleic acid aptamers and cyclic amplification, the biosensor achieved indirect detection of the target virus with improved detection sensitivity and specificity.