Bare Gold Research Articles

Just-in-Time Generation of Nanolabels via In Situ Biomineralization of ZIF-8 Enabling Ultrasensitive MicroRNA Detection on Unmodified Electrodes.

Nanolabels can enhance the detection performance of electrochemical biosensing methods, yet their practical application is hindered by complex preparation, batch-to-batch variability, and poor long-term storage stability. Herein, we present a novel electrochemical method for miRNA detection based on the just-in-time generation of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanolabels initiated by nucleic acids. In this design, the target miRNA-21 is captured with magnetic beads and polyadenylated by Escherichia coli Poly(A) polymerase (EPP), producing miRNA-21 molecules with poly(A) tails (miR-21-poly(A)). These molecules are then adsorbed onto a bare gold electrode (AuE) surface via adenine-gold affinity interactions, serving as nucleation sites for the rapid in situ formation of ZIF-8 nanoparticles. The ZIF-8 nanoparticles function as signal labels, impeding electron transfer at the electrode interfaces and thereby generating a notable electrochemical signal. The developed method demonstrated exceptional sensitivity, with a detection limit (LOD) as low as 2.3 aM and a linear detection range from 10 aM to 1000 fM. The practical application of the developed method was validated by using it to evaluate miRNA-21 expression levels in various biological samples, including cell lines, tumor tissues, and clinical blood samples from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. This approach simplifies the detection process by eliminating the need for presynthesized nanomaterials and premodified electrodes. Its simplicity and high sensitivity make this method a promising tool for point-of-care testing and a wide range of biomedical research applications.

Enhanced performance of impedimetric immunosensors to detect SARS-CoV-2 with bare gold nanoparticles and graphene acetic acid

Immunosensors based on electrical impedance spectroscopy allow for label-free, real-time detection of biologically relevant molecules and pathogens, without requiring electro-active materials. Here, we investigate the influence of bare gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), synthesized via laser ablation in solution, on the performance of an impedimetric immunosensor for detecting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Graphene acetic acid (GAA) was used in the active layer for immobilizing anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, owing to its high density of carboxylic groups. Immunosensors incorporating AuNPs exhibited superior performance compared to those relying solely on GAA, achieving a limit of detection (LoD) of 3 x 10−20 g/mL to detect the Spike Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) protein of SARS-CoV-2 and of 2 PFU/mL for inactivated virus. Moreover, these immunosensors presented high selectivity against the H1N1 influenza virus. We anticipate that this platform will be versatile and applicable in the early diagnosis of various diseases and viral infections, thereby facilitating Point-of-Care testing.

Magnetically-Enhanced Electrochemical ELISA for the Detection of Sars-Cov-2 Nucleoprotein

Here we report on the development of a novel, magnetically-enhanced electrochemical (MagEC) bioassay targeting SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein. The sensing strategy is similar to microbead-based enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) with optical detection. The target analyte is captured using a magnetic microbead functionalized with an antibody specific to SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein. Once SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein has been captured a detection construct, consisting of polystyrene microbeads functionalized with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and antibodies specific to SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein are attached to form the full microbead construct.Once the full microbead constructs are assembled, they are injected into an electrochemical cell containing an assay solution where they are magnetically enriched at the electrode surface. This magnetic localization brings all of the reactants close to their point of detection at the electrode surface and also creates a positive feedback loop, drastically enhancing signal. The electrochemical assay was optimized using model constructs to emulate the fully assembled bead constructs and identify the optimal electrode configuration. Using the model constructs, we found a 60-fold decrease in limit of detection using the MagEC ELISA compared to optical detection with model bead constructs. We compared performance of a bare gold electrode to several geometries of gold microelectrode arrays. We obtained preliminary results for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein. Additionally, the assay was expanded to incorporate a fluidic manifold to enhance signal, enhance throughput and enable operation in microgravity environments.

A Zwitterionic Anti-Fouling Coating Promotes Electrochemical Biosensing in Complex Media

Biofoulants present in complex media, such as blood, plasma, saliva, etc., can cause an increase in the background of the signal or a reduction in signal-to-noise ratio, due to which most biosensors require a sample processing step. One of the major interactions for biofouling in biosensing platforms is non-specific hydrophobic interactions, which can be prevented using hydrophilic polymeric coatings [1], [2]. However, most hydrophilic polymers are not conductive enough to provide a strong electrochemical current signal, whereas the existing conductive polymers are often hydrophobic. To avoid this, zwitterionic polymers that are both ionically conductive [3] and hydrophilic [3] can be used as anti-fouling polymers for electrochemical biosensing. Additionally, these polymers are highly effective at preventing fouling by electrostatically-induced water structuring [4]. Herein, we report a zwitterionic polymer (bearing thiols, aldehydes and carboxylic acid groups) that forms a thin conductive and hydrophilic layer on the electrodes, while also housing biorecognition layers for capturing target analytes of interest.The polymer was synthesized by free radical copolymerization and coated on gold electrodes to form a thin coating (16 nm when dry), which upon hydration results in a hydrophilic interface (contact angle <15 degrees). Anti-fouling properties were validated by determining the adsorption of radiolabeled human serum albumin (HSA) protein (spiked in plasma) on polymer-coated electrodes. The polymer-coated electrodes showed a ~67% reduction in protein adsorption relative to bare gold electrodes. Additionally, no significant change in anodic current was observed when 1% HSA was incubated on polymer-coated electrodes for 1 hour; whereas an 83% decrease in anodic current was observed on bare-gold electrodes under the same conditions. The polymer-modified electrode was used in detecting redox-labeled DNA sequences with a LOD of 11 nM in buffer and unprocessed plasma. The coating was also utilized to detect COVID-19, where the prepared setup detected 104 cp/mL of SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus spiked in 50% unprocessed saliva. Similar coatings created from poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) were unresponsive toward SARS-CoV-2 spiked in 50% saliva [5]. The anti-fouling polymer coatings developed herein show enhanced performance compared to previously reported strategies, based on self-assembled monolayers, in detecting target analytes in complex media, demonstrating the potential for use in clinical diagnostics.

Unusual Long-Term Stability of Enzymatic Bioelectrocatalysis in Organic Solvents

Organic solvent tolerant enzymes are of tremendous importance for the pharmaceutical industry in search of high added-value chemicals. However, enzymes exhibit usually weak long-term activity and stability in various media. Here, we report a general strategy allowing stabilizing and keeping enzymes active in biphasic systems upon immobilization on an electrode surface. It consists in the combination of an engineered solvent-tolerant enzyme, combined with fine-tuned osmium-based redox polymers where the concentration of osmium complex has been specifically tuned to minimize its deswelling associated with the use of porous gold electrodes. This approach is validated with bilirubin oxidase as a model system. This copper enzyme is able to oxidize a wide range of substrates, combined with the reduction of O2 to water. While all other enzymatic systems irreversibly lose their activity and stability in the presence of 7.5 M methanol or below, this optimized enzymatic system stays functional in 12.5 M methanol with no loss in current density. It exhibits a half-life of more than 8 days, which is unprecedented in the literature. We show that this electrode can also operate in DMSO, dioxane, acetonitrile and acetone, thus opening up a very wide variety of applications in the field of bioelectrocatalysis and bioelectrosynthesis. Figure: Example of a long-term stability experiment for a mediated bilirubin oxidase biocathode in 12.5 M methanol. Black curve: immobilized on a bare gold electrode; red curve: immobilized on a 11/2 layers porous gold electrode. Experiments performed at +0.1V vs. Ag/AgCl. The total loading was fixed at 600 µg.cm-2 for both experiments. Figure 1

Synergism in the electrocatalytic properties of cobalt phthalocyanine-carbon nanotube-polymeric electrospun nanofibers immobilized on a gold electrode for the detection of lead(II) ions

Core-shelled electrospun nanofibers (ENFs) comprising of a polyvinyl acetate (PVA) shell encapsulating a composite of polyaniline (PANI), tetra-4-(3-oxyflavonephthalocyaninato)cobalt(II) (CoPc-flav), carboxylic acid functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) and an annealed conductive top layer of Nafion (Nf) were used to fabricated a chemically modified gold electrode (Au|ENFs-1-Nf) via the adsorption method. The electrocatalytic sensing capabilities of the Au|ENFs-1-Nf electrode towards Pb(II) ions were evaluated. In comparison to the bare gold electrode and other chemically modified electrodes (CMEs), the Au|ENFs-1-Nf electrode was less prone to fouling showing more stable analyte signal and less compromised background electrolyte currents. The Au|ENFs-1-Nf electrode could detect the Pb(II) cations in a reproducible manner ranging from 8 to 125 μM where limits of detection and quantification of 0.51 and 1.55 μM were obtained, respectively. The analytical performance of the aforementioned CME rendered a comparable percentage recovery (103 %) with that of Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) (115 %).

High-sensitive surface plasmon resonance sensor for melamine detection in dairy products based on graphene oxide /chitosan nanocomposite

Accurate diagnosis and determination of the appropriate dose of melamine is crucial, especially in children's food, due to the potential for severe side effects such as kidney stones. This research has demonstrated the effectiveness of the graphene oxide-chitosan (GOCS) composite in modifying the gold chip surface as a sensor platform, resulting in a significant 1.17° angular change relative to the bare gold chip for the detection of melamine. The GOCS composite was analyzed using SEM, XRD, and FTIR. The GOCS sensor exhibited high sensitivity with a value of 239.1◦μM−1, a linear range (L.R) of 0.01–200 μM, affinity constant of 1.73 × 104 and an impressive limit of detection (LOD) of 10 nM. These findings highlight the potential of the GOCS sensor for accurately and precisely detecting melamine. Additionally, we compared the obtained results from the sensor with those from the standard method of HPLC, which is referred to as the gold standard in analytical chemistry, by conducting tests using GOCS/Au to identify melamine in commercial samples. The comparison showed that the GOCS sensor offers desirable features for analyzing real samples, making it a promising tool for accurately and efficiently detecting melamine in various samples.

Drug Evaluation of Parkinson's Disease Patient-Derived Midbrain Organoids Using Mesoporous Au Nanodot-Patterned 3D Concave Electrode.

Brain organoids are being recognized as valuable tools for drug evaluation in neurodegenerative diseases due to their similarity to the human brain's structure and function. However, a critical challenge is the lack of selective and sensitive electrochemical sensing platforms to detect the response of brain organoids, particularly changes in the neurotransmitter concentration upon drug treatment. This study introduces a 3D concave electrode patterned with a mesoporous Au nanodot for the detection of electrochemical signals of dopamine in response to drugs in brain organoids for the first time. The mesoporous Au nanodot-patterned film was fabricated using laser interference lithography and electrochemical deposition. Then, the film was attached to a polymer-based 3D concave mold to obtain a 3D concave electrode. Midbrain organoids generated from Parkinson's disease (PD) patient-derived iPSCs with gene mutations (named as PD midbrain organoid) or normal midbrain organoids were positioned on the developed 3D concave electrode. The 3D concave electrode showed a 1.4 times higher electrochemical signal of dopamine compared to the bare gold electrode. And the dopamine secreted from normal midbrain organoids or PD midbrain organoids on the 3D concave electrode could be detected electrochemically. After the treatment of PD midbrain organoids with levodopa, the drug for PD, the increase in dopamine level was detected due to the activation of dopaminergic neurons by the drug. The results suggest the potential of the proposed 3D concave electrode combined with brain organoids as a useful tool for assessing drug efficacy. This sensing system can be applied to a variety of organoids for a comprehensive drug evaluation.

Anti-Biofouling Effect of Nanoporous Gold Electrode on Nonspecific Signal Reduction for Electrochemical Biosensors

Noise signals based on nonspecific adsorptions of interfering species (biofouling) should be reduced in electrochemical biosensors to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. Here, we demonstrate the effect of the structure of nanoporous gold (np-Au) electrodes on anti-biofouling in electrochemical biosensors. A np-Au electrode is fabricated by a gold–silver alloy corrosion process. The pore size of the np-Au electrode is controlled within 10–50 nm by adjusting the time of corrosion of silver. The np-Au electrode, the pore size of which is slightly larger (15–30 nm) than the size of proteins such as human serum albumin (HSA), notably shows the suppression of the nonspecific adsorption of HSA on its surface in cyclic voltammetry (CV), resulting in the anti-biofouling effect. In particular, the peak current in CV with the np-Au electrode is maintained at about 80% even for a long-term incubation of 60 min after the addition of human serum and plasma as well as HSA, whereas that with the bare gold electrode is reduced to about 25%–60%. The anti-biofouling effect of the np-Au electrode is discussed on the basis of the balance between its pore size and protein size, including the electrostatic repulsion with proteins.

Zwitter-repel: An anti-fouling coating promoting electrochemical biosensing in biological fluids

Most electrochemical biosensors require sample processing to reduce biofouling induced by the complex composition of biological samples that typically causes a decrease in the target-to-blank signal. Herein, we report a zwitterionic copolymer bearing sulfobetaine, carboxylic, aldehyde, and thiol groups as a thin (∼16 nm) anti-fouling coating for electrochemical biosensing platforms. The resulting polymer-coated electrodes reduced protein adsorption by ∼ 67 % compared to the bare-gold surface when incubated with radiolabeled human serum albumin (HSA) protein-spiked human plasma, while cyclic voltammetry yielded a 5 % increase in anodic current signal after incubation in 1 % HSA for 1 h compared to the 83 % decrease in anodic current observed with bare gold electrodes. The polymer-coated electrode facilitated the detection of redox-labeled DNA in buffer, as well as in unprocessed and undiluted plasma with detection limits of 23 nM and 21 nM, respectively; detection of 104 cp mL−1 lentivirus pseudotyped with the Omicron spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 in unfiltered 50 % saliva was also achieved within 5 min with improved target-to-blank ratios and reproducibility relative to the well-established PEG-based biosensing platform for detecting COVID-19. On this basis, the Zwitter-repel coating offers potential to sensitively detect other disease biomarkers/analytes while eliminating or reducing the need for sample pre-processing and/or the use of additional backfilling/blocking agents.

Functionalization of Carbon Electrode Surface Using Polyaniline and Gold Nanoparticles for Protein Immobilization

This study presents a screen-printed carbon electrode surface functionalization to immobilize proteins. The process involves the deposition of gold nanoparticles on the carbon electrode and subsequent surface modification to immobilize bovine serum albumin–fluorescein isothiocyanate conjugate (BSA-FITC). A combination of conducting polymer and gold nanoparticles was employed to enhance the electrode contact area and current transmission. The electrode surface morphology and properties were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy, showing the porous polyaniline (PANI) film has been formed on the carbon electrode surface with the network of dendritic nanofibers. Gold nanoparticles were evenly distributed on the PANI film to form a nanocomposite material layer on the carbon electrode. The observed size of these gold nanoparticles was significantly smaller than those on the electrode without a PANI film. Additionally, the current transmission of this composite material layer has been verified by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The results show that the amplitude of the redox peak was doubled compared to the bare carbon electrode and gold nanoparticle-only deposited electrode. Moreover, the success of the process was verified by fluorescence and cyclic voltammetry. The fluorescent green color observed under the microscope indicated that BSA-FITC was on the electrode surface. The change of CV signal after each step verified the formation of a new layer on the electrode surface. These results are anticipated to play an important role in developing high-sensitivity immunosensors in the future.

Reliable detection of malachite green by self-assembled SERS substrates based on gold–silicon heterogeneous nano pineapple structures

Morphology regulation of heterodimer nanoparticles and the use of their asymmetric features for further practical applications are crucial because of the rich optical properties and various combinations of heterodimers. This work used silicon to asymmetrically wrap half of a gold sphere and grew gold branches on the bare gold surface to form heterogeneous nano pineapples (NPPs) which can effectively improve Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) properties through chemical enhancement and lightning-rod effect respectively. The asymmetric structures of NPPs enabled them to self-assemble into the monolayer membrane with consistent branch orientation. The prepared substrate had high homogeneity and better SERS ability than disorganized substrates, and achieved reliable detection of malachite green (MG) in clams with a detection limit of 7.8 × 10−11 M. This work provided a guide to further revise the morphology of heterodimers and a new idea for the use of asymmetric dimers for practically photochemical and biomedical sensing.

Simple and Directed Immobilization of a Multicopper Oxidase on Flat Bare Gold Electrodes Provides High Catalytic Currents for O2 Reduction

Simple and Directed Immobilization of a Multicopper Oxidase on Flat Bare Gold Electrodes Provides High Catalytic Currents for O₂ Reduction

Effect of Applied AC Voltage on the Performance of Non-Faradaic Impedimetric Biosensors

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy based non-faradaic biosensors are promising low-cost and rapid detection tool for a variety of biomarkers. Unlike faradaic impedimetric biosensors, non-faradaic impedimetric biosensors are redox-free and do not require the use of three electrodes. Instead, two electrodes are enough to carry out biosensing using non-faradaic biosensors. Commonly used AC perturbation during non-faradaic impedimetric biosensors is 10 mV to maintain the linearity of the electrochemical biosensor. In this work, we investigated the effect of different AC voltages (10, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 mV) on bare gold interdigitated electrodes (Au-IDEs). As the AC voltage increased, the capacitance and phase of bare Au-IDEs increased whereas the impedance decreased. At 800 and 1600 mV, non-linear effects started to appear on the Lissajous plots. Then, the effect of all the AC voltages except 800 and 1600 mV on the performance of fully functionalized non-faradaic LDL-cholesterol sensors were investigated. Increasing the AC voltage resulted in better limit of detection and change in capacitance. However, it also resulted in larger change in capacitance due to testing against negative (control samples). The reported study can be useful for the future development of non-faradaic impedimetric biosensors for the detection of different biomarkers and to achieve different limits of detection as per the application requirements.

Enhanced inverse Faraday effect and time-dependent thermo-transmission in gold nanodisks

Abstract Nonmagnetic media can be magnetized by light via processes referred to as an inverse Faraday effect (IFE). With nonmagnetic metal nanostructures, the IFE is dominated by the presence of light-induced solenoidal surface currents or plasmons with orbital angular momenta, whose properties depend on both the light and nanostructure geometry. Here, through a systematic study of gold nanodisks with different sizes, we demonstrate order-of-magnitude enhancement of the IFE compared to a bare gold film. Large IFE signals occur when light excites the dipolar plasmonic resonance of the gold nanodisk. We observe that the spectral response of the IFE signal mirrors the spectral response of time-dependent thermo-transmission signals. Our careful quantitative experimental measurements and analysis offer insight into the magnitude of IFE in plasmonic structures for compact, low-power, magneto-optic applications.

Self-assembled monolayers for electrostatic electrocatalysis and enhanced electrode stability in thermogalvanic cells.

Waste heat is ubiquitous; as such, sustainable and long-lasting devices are required to convert it into more useful forms of energy that can make use of this abundant potential resource. Thermogalvanic cells (or thermocells) can use the thermoelectrochemical properties of redox couples to achieve this; entropy-driven redox reactions allow them to act as liquid thermoelectrics. However, excellent electrocatalysis at the electrode surface is required for optimum conversion efficiency. Serendipitous observation of Nafion-based electrocatalysis prompted the exploration of electrostatically charged self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) inside a thermocell. Both electrostatic electrocatalysis and improved electrode stability were observed; in an aqueous K3[Fe(CN)6]/K4[Fe(CN)6]-based cell, modification with (3-trimethylammonium bromide)thiopropane resulted in higher electrical power, and protection against [Fe(CN)6]3-/4--induced gold passivation, relative to bare gold. Molecular-based electrostatic electrocatalysis could be an alternative to precious metal-based nanomaterial electrocatalysis, and could be integrated with (nano)carbon-based electrodes to further enhance the ability of thermogalvanic and other electrochemical energy conversion devices, e.g. redox flow batteries.

Binding energies of ethanol and ethylamine on interstellar water ices: synergy between theory and experiments.

Experimental and computational chemistry are two disciplines used to conduct research in astrochemistry, providing essential reference data for both astronomical observations and modeling. These approaches not only mutually support each other, but also serve as complementary tools to overcome their respective limitations. Leveraging on such synergy, we characterized the binding energies (BEs) of ethanol (CH3CH2OH) and ethylamine (CH3CH2NH2), two interstellar complex organic molecules (iCOMs), on crystalline and amorphous water ices through density functional theory (DFT) calculations and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) experiments. Experimentally, CH3CH2OH and CH3CH2NH2 behave similarly, in which desorption temperatures are higher on the water ices than on a bare gold surface. Computed cohesive energies of pure ethanol and ethylamine bulk structures allow describing of the BEs of the pure species deposited on the gold surface, as extracted from the TPD curve analyses. The BEs of submonolayer coverages of CH3CH2OH and CH3CH2NH2 on the water ices cannot be directly extracted from TPD due to their co-desorption with water, but they are computed through DFT calculations, and found to be greater than the cohesive energy of water. The behaviour of CH3CH2OH and CH3CH2NH2 is different when depositing adsorbate multilayers on the amorphous ice, in that, according to their computed cohesive energies, ethylamine layers present weaker interactions compared to ethanol and water. Finally, from the computed BEs of ethanol, ethylamine and water, we can infer that the snow-lines of these three species in protoplanetary disks will be situated at different distances from the central star. It appears that a fraction of ethanol and ethylamine is already frozen on the grains in the water snow-lines, causing their incorporation in water-rich planetesimals.

Enhancing the sensitivity and stability of electrochemical aptamer-based sensors by AuNPs@MXene nanocomposite for continuous monitoring of biomarkers

Electrochemical aptamer-based (E-AB) sensors offer exciting potential for real-time tracking of various biomarkers, such as proteins and small molecules, due to their exceptional selectivity and adaptability. However, most E-AB sensors rely on planar gold structures, which inherently limit their sensitivity and operational stability for continuous monitoring of biomarkers. Although gold nanostructures have recently enhanced E-AB sensor performance, no studies have explored the combination of gold nanostructure with other types of nanomaterials for continuous molecular monitoring. To fill this gap, we employed gold nanoparticles and MXene Ti3C2 (AuNPs@MXene), a versatile nanocomposite, in designing an E-AB sensor targeted at vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a crucial human signaling protein. Remarkably, the AuNPs@MXene nanocomposite achieved over thirty-fold and half-fold increases in active surface area compared to bare and AuNPs-modified gold electrodes, respectively, significantly elevating the analytical capabilities of E-AB sensors during continuous operation. After a systematic optimization and characterization process, the newly developed E-AB sensor, powered by AuNPs@MXene nanocomposite, demonstrated both enhanced stability and heightened sensitivity. Overall, our findings open new avenues for the incorporation of nanocomposites in E-AB sensor design, enabling the creation of more sensitive and durable real-time monitoring systems.

Synthesis of PEDOT:PSS Brushes Grafted from Gold Using ATRP for Increased Electrochemical and Mechanical Stability.

We report PEDOT:PSS brushes grafted from gold using surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) which demonstrate significantly enhanced mechanical stability against sonication and electrochemical cycling compared to spin-coated analogues as well as lower impedances than bare gold at frequencies from 0.1 to 105 Hz. These results suggest SI-ATRP PEDOT:PSS to be a promising candidate for use in microelectrodes for neural activity recording. Spin-coated, electrodeposited, and drop-cast PEDOT:PSS have already been shown to reduce impedance and improve biocompatibility of microelectrodes, but the lack of strong chemical bonds of the physisorbed polymer film to the metal leads to disintegration under required operational stresses including cyclic mechanical loads, abrasion, and electrochemical cycling. Rather than modifying the metal electrode or introducing cross-linkers or other additives to improve the stability of the polymer film, this work chemically tethers the polymer to the surface, offering a simple, scalable solution for functional bioelectronic interfaces.

ZIF-8 labelled a new electrochemical aptasensor based on PEI-PrGO/AuNWs for DON detection

In this work, a novel ultrasensitive aptasensor for deoxynivalenol (DON) detection based on the polyethyleneimine-functionalised porous reduced graphene oxide loaded gold nanowires (PEI-PrGO/AuNWs) and methylene blue (MB)-labelled zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) signal amplification strategy was proposed. PEI-PrGO/AuNWs with large surface area and excellent conductivity were used as modification materials on bare gold electrodes, which could increase the combining of complementary strand (cDNA) on the electrode substrate and accelerate the electron transfer efficiency. Furthermore, a novel electrochemical signal probe was synthesized using streptavidin-modified zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8/SA) as a carrier loaded with MB and reverse complementary chain (sDNA). In the presence of DON, the signal probe was introduced to the electrode surface by Watson-Crick base pairing after specific binding of DON to the aptamer (Apt). As expected, under the optimal conditions, the DON concentration was linearly related to the peak current generated by the prepared aptasensor, and the measured data were combined with theoretical calculations to obtain a detection limit of 2.23 × 10−9 mg/mL.