Open AccessDetecting DNA and RNA and Differentiating Single-Nucleotide Variations via Field-Effect Transistors
Author(s) -
Kevin M Cheung,
John M. Abendroth,
Nako Nakatsuka,
Bowen Zhu,
Yang Yang,
Anne M. Andrews,
Paul S. Weiss
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
nano letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.853
H-Index - 488
eISSN - 1530-6992
pISSN - 1530-6984
DOI - 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c01971
Subject(s) - oligonucleotide , dna , rna , nucleotide , field effect transistor , biosensor , transistor , nanotechnology , indium , base pair , chemistry , materials science , optoelectronics , biophysics , biology , physics , biochemistry , gene , voltage , quantum mechanics
We detect short oligonucleotides and distinguish between sequences that differ by a single base, using label-free, electronic field-effect transistors (FETs). Our sensing platform utilizes ultrathin-film indium oxide FETs chemically functionalized with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). The ssDNA-functionalized semiconducting channels in FETs detect fully complementary DNA sequences and differentiate these sequences from those having different types and locations of single base-pair mismatches. Changes in charge associated with surface-bound ssDNA vs double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) alter FET channel conductance to enable detection due to differences in DNA duplex stability. We illustrate the capability of ssDNA-FETs to detect complementary RNA sequences and to distinguish from RNA sequences with single nucleotide variations. The development and implementation of electronic biosensors that rapidly and sensitively detect and differentiate oligonucleotides present new opportunities in the fields of disease diagnostics and precision medicine.