A replacement-type electrochemiluminescent aptasensor for lysozyme based on full-electric modification electrode coupled to silica-coated Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)/silver nanospheres

This research proposed a replacement-type electrochemiluminescent (ECL) aptasensor for lysozyme (LYZ) detection at trace levels based on a full-electric modification electrode (FEMG) coupled to silica-coated Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)/silver nanospheres (Ru/SNs@SiO2). The multi-walled carbon nanotubes-doped-thionine (MWCNTs/PTn) electropolymerized modified electrode was decorated with electrodeposited gold nanoparticles (GNs) to form the FEMG. Then, the FEMG was utilized as sensing substrates for the immobilization of the anti-lysozyme aptamer (LA); the stability and number of LA attaching onto the FEMG were dramatically increased. The ECL measurement was used to evaluate the hybridization reaction of LA and the Ru/SNs@SiO2 marked DNA probe, and it was noted as I-a. After the combination of the LA with the LYZ, the target-triggered replacement of the DNA probe was actualized and the ECL measurement descended to I-b. The ECL difference (Delta I-ECL = I-a - I-b) before and after the replacement event was utilized for quantitation of LYZ. As a result, the fabricated aptasensor with great sensitivity and specificity achieved a wide linear range (10 fM-10 pM) and a low limit of detection (5 fM). It obtained satisfactory recovery for the detection of LYZ in human serum, and the results were identified with the LYZ ELISA kit. Therefore, the proposed ECL sensor is expected to become a promising approach in the field of biomolecule detection.

Automated summary

This research introduced a novel ECL aptasensor for the detection of LYZ at trace levels using FEMG and Ru/SNs@SiO2. The quantitation of LYZ was achieved through the replacement of DNA probe.