Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
4.4 Conclusions and Outlook
The work carried out in the last years show fairly well that
integration of Au-NPs with DNA detection systems allows the
development of genosensors with an improved analytical per-
formance when compared with conventional DNA sensors. Au-
NP-modified electrodes permit a remarkable enhancement of the
amount of DNA immobilized onto the electrode. The e
cient DNA
immobilization achieved paves the way for the design of effective
signal transduction approaches of the hybridization event making
use of the different strategies summarized in this chapter. The
amplification routes that the use of Au-NPs facilitates, combined
with electrochemical techniques, allow the design of selective and
highly sensitive DNA sensors. However, looking at the literature, a
lack of applications of these DNA sensing devices to real samples
is observed. The extremely promising prospects on sensitivity and
stability that the gold nanoparticle-based DNA platforms provide
should be validated for solving real analytical problems in order
to demonstrate their competitiveness against conventional DNA
analyses.
Another prospect that can be easily foreseen is the use of
these sensing platforms for multiplexed purposes. Integration of
the genosensors into miniaturized (or even nano) devices involving
microfluidic systems should lead to the e
cient and versatile
design of genosensing platforms capable to give multiple adequate
responses to the current analytical demands in the fields such as
the rapid detection of genetic disorders, pollution alarm systems, or
forensic analysis.
Acknowledgments
The financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Science
and Innovation (MICINN) through the projects CTQ2009-
09351, CTQ2009-12650 and DPS2008-07005-C02-01 is gratefully
acknowledged.
