Structural DNA tetrahedra and its electrochemical-related surface sensing

Abstract

Structural DNA tetrahedra, one of the most popular self-assembled DNA nanostructures, show significant potential in the engineering of surface bioanalysis. The structural and functional information encoded in DNA tetrahedra enables various configuration and modification of the tetrahedra. These configurations could be achieved by functionalizing the tetrahedra vertices with different motifs or readout labels, or regulating the tetrahedra edges by integrating different DNA motifs, or controlling the size of the tetrahedra by changing the length of its edges. This review particularly introduces the DNA tetrahedra that shows specific physical features on the electrode interface owing to the size-controllability and programmability, and it summerizes recent advances of DNA tetrahedra on the surface sensing application of electrochemistry, electrochemiliminescence, photochemiluminescence, surface-enhanced Raman scattering. The research field of DNA tetrahedra-based sensing surfaces appears to be at the top of an exciting and potential explosion of the application of bioanalysis, nanomedicine, and environmental and food analysis.