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Biocompatible polymers, such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), are of great significance in the development of bio-interfaces and biosensors, as they possess excellent biocompatibility and are easy for modification. A novel highly biocompatible polymer composite was synthesized herein through electrochemical polymerization of the conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and a PEG derivative, 4-arm PEG terminated with thiol groups. The electrodeposited conducting polymer composite of PEG doped PEDOT (PEDOT/PEG) exhibited flake-like nanostructure, large surface area and outstanding stability. In order to further immobilize antibodies, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were introduced to the PEDOT/PEG composite surface through their unique interaction with the thiol groups. AuNPs modified PEDOT/PEG provided a desirable support for the immobilization of various biomolecules such as antibodies for alpha fetoprotein (AFP), a vital tumor biomarker for liver cancer. The fabricated AFP biosensor demonstrated favorable selectivity, high sensitivity, and ultralow detection limit. Furthermore, owing to the presence of PEG polymers that are highly hydrophilic, such AuNPs/PEDOT/PEG based AFP biosensor also exhibited good anti-fouling ability, and it was capable of assaying target AFP in 10% (V/V) human serum samples, indicating highly feasible potential for clinical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultrasensitive biosensor for alpha-fetoprotein was developed based on electrochemically synthesized polyaniline (PANI) nanowires, which were functionalized with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and polyethylene glycols (PEG). The prepared PEG/AuNPs/PANI composite, combining the electrical conductivity of the AuNPs/PANI with the robust antifouling ability of PEG, offered an ideal substrate for the development of low fouling electrochemical biosensors. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a well-known hepatocellular carcinoma biomarker, was used as a model analyte, and its antibody was immobilized on the PEG/AuNPs/PANI for the construction of the AFP immunosensor. Using the redox current of PANI as the sensing signal, in addition to the good biocompatibility of PEG/AuNPs and the anti-biofouling property of PEG, the developed immunosensor showed improved biosensing performances, such as wide linear range and ultralow detection limit (0.007 pg mL −1 ). More importantly, it is label-free, reagentless and low fouling, making it capable of assaying AFP in real serum samples without suffering from significant interference or biofouling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a novel near-infrared (NIR) light-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor based on NaYF 4 :Yb3+, Er3+@Bi 2 MoO 6 @Bi (NYF@BMO@Bi) nanocomposites was elaborately developed to achieve highly sensitive detection of microRNA-155 (miRNA-155). To realize signal enhancement, the coupled plasmonic bismuth (Bi) nanoparticles were constructed as an energy relay to facilitate the transfer of energy from NaYF 4 :Yb3+, Er3+ to Bi 2 MoO 6 , ultimately enabling the efficient separation of electron-hole pairs of Bi 2 MoO 6 under the irradiation of a 980 nm laser. For constructing biosensing system, the initial signal was firstly amplified after the addition of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in conjunction with the biofunctionalized NYF@BMO@Bi nanocomposites, which could catalyze the conversion of ascorbic acid 2-phosphate into ascorbic acid, and then consumed the photoacoustic holes created on the surface of Bi 2 MoO 6 for the enlarging photocurrent production. Upon addition of target miRNA-155, the cascade signal amplification process was triggered while the ALP-modified DNA sequence was replaced and then followed by the initiation of a simulated biocatalytic precipitation reaction to attenuate the photocurrent response. On account of the NIR-light-driven and cascade amplifications strategy, the as-constructed biosensor was successfully utilized for the accurate determination of miRNA-155 ranging from 1 fM to 0.1 μM with a detection limit of 0.32 fM. We believed that the proposed nanocomposites-based NIR-triggered PEC biosensor could provide a promising platform for effective monitoring other tumor biomarkers in clinical diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a universal strategy for the construction of highly sensitive and low fouling biosensors was proposed based on antifouling peptides conjugated with recognizing DNA probes. The peptide-DNA conjugate was formed through a reagent-free click reaction between a typical DNA aptamer modified with 5′-dibenzocyclooctyne (DBCO) and the designed antifouling peptide terminated with biotin and the azide group at its two ends. With the assistance of streptavidin (SA), the electrochemical biosensor was constructed via immobilization of the straight peptides and peptide-DNA conjugates in sequence onto the electrode surface modified with electrodeposited poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The prepared biosensor exhibited excellent antifouling performances in various human bodily fluids such as serum, sweat and urine, with a wide linear response range for CA125 from 0.01 U mL−1 to 1000 U mL−1, and a low limit of detection of 0.003 U mL−1. Combining the advantages of the antifouling peptide and recognizing DNA probe, this sensing strategy was capable of assaying CA125 in undiluted human serum, and it also offered a highly promising way for the development of different antifouling biosensors through the conjugation of antifouling peptides with various DNA probes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]