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Here, we develop an all-in-one strategy for efficient assembly of an electrochemical aptasensor. A multifunctional structure based on a tetrahedral DNA nanostructure (TDN) was synthesized via a one-step annealing process, providing DNA fixation, target recognition, signal amplification and space regulation. Based on the integration of this multifunctional structure, the sensing interface was assembled in one step. A ratiometric aptasensor was constructed by anchoring methylene blue (MB) to the TDN and ferrocene (Fc) on the cDNA. Using the ratio of the currents obtained from Fc and MB as a measure, the developed aptasensor shows excellent analytical performance for fumonisin B1 detection. This strategy is universal and could simplify the fabrication of aptasensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient signal amplification using light irradiation in electrochemistry-based sensing attracts growing interest; however, the modulation of electrochemical and photoelectrochemical behaviors of bifunctional probes remains challenging for the better analytical performance. Here, we found that the bifunctional probe methylene blue (MB) under irradiation followed two routes, i.e., photoelectrochemistry (PEC)-driven and electrochemistry (EC)-driven route, while plasmon-modulated competition between PEC-driven and EC-driven routes efficiently enhanced the analytical performance of aptasensor. Ferrocene-labeled aptamer (Fc-apt) was applied to tune the interaction between MB labeled complementary DNA (MB-cDNA) and plasmonic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Under visible light illumination, the aptasensor output a weak current of MB (I MB) for the depressed EC-driven redox. The binding of Fc-apt with target led to its stripping from electrode and released MB-cDNA to approach AuNPs, and an increase in I MB was observed due to the synergy of the depressed PEC-driven redox while the restored EC-driven redox. In this way, the amplified response for target could be obtained by depressing background signal while enlarging response signal of I MB under visible light. Consequently, the developed model ratiometric aptasensor offered a higher sensitivity for the determination of aflatoxin B1. Our observation should be favorable to shed light on photo-induced electrochemical mechanism, and the proposed amplification strategy is valuable for the construction of efficient sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]