Graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet-based multicolour fluorescent nanoprobe for multiplexed analysis of DNA

Abstract

We demonstrate that nanosheets composed of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) can serve as a low-cost and efficient fluorescent nanoprobe for the multiplexed detection of DNA in solution. The strategy is based on the finding that g-C3N4 is capable of binding dye-labeled single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) which results in quenching of the fluorescence of the dye. If target DNA hybridizes with dye-labeled ssDNA, the interaction between dye-labeled ssDNA and g-C3N4 is weakened, and this results in desorption of the dsDNA from the surface of the g-C3N4 and in recovery of fluorescence. The large surface area of g-C3N4 nanosheets allows for simultaneous quenching of multicolor DNA probes labeled with different dyes, leading to the development of multiplexed DNA sensors for the detection of multiple DNA targets in a single solution. By using one 15-mer DNA fragment and one 18-mer DNA fragment as proof-of-principle analytes, the method displayed good analytical performance. The limits of detection are 75 and 62 pM, respectively. The method is simple and sensitive, and was used to detect DNA in serum samples. We perceive that this method represents a new approach towards multiplexed assays for applications in DNA monitoring, clinical diagnosis, and in the detection of genetic disorders.