Nanopore–Penetration Sensing Effects for Target DNA Sequencing via Impedance Difference Between Organometallic–Complex–Decorated Carbon Nanotubes with Twisted Single–Stranded or Double–Stranded DNA

Abstract

We offer a highly sensitive and reproducible dielectric-spectroscopy assay of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence on a platform of quantum graphene-like structures arranged on nanoporous alumina to correctly identifying an infectious agent in a native double-stranded (ds) DNA. The hybridization of complementary target DNA with probe DNA in the sensor sensitive layer leads to penetration of the formed single-stranded (ss) target DNA into the underlayer nanoporous anodic alumina through the nanocavities of LB-film from organometallic complexes. This results in linking of MWCNT ends, shielding of Helmholtz double layer and following decrease of electrical capacitance of the sensor. The novel electrochemical impedimetric DNA sensor with self-organized multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) bundles decorated by organometallic complexes as transducer has been utilized to detect the viral DNA in the biological samples of patients with virus infection at DNA concentration as low as 1.0–1.3 ng/μL.