A competitive colorimetric chloramphenicol assay based on the non-cross-linking deaggregation of gold nanoparticles coated with a polyadenine-modified aptamer

An electrochemical aptasensor for the detection of chloramphenicol based on ultra-small Au-inserted hollow PCN-222 MOF

The excessive utilization of antibiotics has led to significant water contamination and posed severe threats to human well-being. Consequently, the pressing imperative to identify antibiotics in the environment arises. In this study, we have successfully synthesized a hollow PCN-222 MOF distinguished by its substantial surface area and abundant functional groups, particularly the porphyrin cores. To augment the electrical conductivity of the hollow PCN-222 (HPCN-222), gold (Au) particles were incorporated within the porphyrin core using a fundamental hydrothermal method. This modification facilitated the effective immobilization of aptamer strands through π-π stacking and electrostatic interactions. As a result, the Au@HPCN-222 composite demonstrated exceptional efficacy as a substrate for immobilizing the aptamer (Apt) onto the GCE surface. By employing differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) we successfully achieved the detection of chloramphenicol (CAP) with a remarkably low limit of detection of 0.0138 ng mL-1 and the peak DPV currents at 0.18 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) were used for calibration. Furthermore, this aptasensor exhibited high selectivity and reproducibility.

Capture-SELEX for Chloramphenicol Binding Aptamers for Labeled and Label-Free Fluorescence Sensing

Chloramphenicol (CAP) is a potent antibiotic. Due to its side effects, CAP is currently banned in most countries, but it is still found in many food products and in the environment. Developing aptamer-based biosensors for the detection of CAP has interested many researchers. While both RNA and DNA aptamers were previously reported for CAP, they were all obtained by immobilization of the CAP base, which omitted the two chlorine atoms. In this work, DNA aptamers were selected using the library-immobilized method and free unmodified CAP. Three families of aptamers were obtained, and the best one named CAP1 showed a dissociation constant (Kd) of 9.8 μM using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). A fluorescent strand-displacement sensor showed a limit of detection (LOD) of 14 μM CAP. Thioflavin T (ThT) staining allowed label-free detection of CAP with a LOD of 1 μM in buffer, 1.8 μM in Lake Ontario water, and 3.6 μM in a wastewater sample. Comparisons were made with previously reported aptamers, and ITC failed to show binding of a previously reported 80-mer aptamer. Due to the small size and well-defined secondary structures of CAP1, this aptamer will find analytical applications for environmental and food monitoring.

Rational Truncation of Aptamer for Ultrasensitive Aptasensing of Chloramphenicol: Studies Using Bio-Layer Interferometry

Aptamers are an excellent choice for the selective detection of small molecules. However, the previously reported aptamer for chloramphenicol suffers from low affinity, probably as a result of steric hindrance due to its bulky nature (80 nucleotides) leading to lower sensitivity in analytical assays. The present work was aimed at improving this binding affinity by truncating the aptamer without compromising its stability and three-dimensional folding. Shorter aptamer sequences were designed by systematically removing bases from each or both ends of the original aptamer. Thermodynamic factors were evaluated computationally to provide insight into the stability and folding patterns of the modified aptamers. Binding affinities were evaluated using bio-layer interferometry. Among the eleven sequences generated, one aptamer was selected based on its low dissociation constant, length, and regression of model fitting with association and dissociation curves. The dissociation constant could be lowered by 86.93% by truncating 30 bases from the 3' end of the previously reported aptamer. The selected aptamer was used for the detection of chloramphenicol in honey samples, based on a visible color change upon the aggregation of gold nanospheres caused by aptamer desorption. The detection limit could be reduced 32.87 times (1.673 pg mL^-1) using the modified length aptamer, indicating its improved affinity as well as its suitability in real-sample analysis for the ultrasensitive detection of chloramphenicol.

Simultaneous Dual-Sensing Platform Based on Aptamer-Functionalized DNA Hydrogels for Visual and Fluorescence Detection of Chloramphenicol and Aflatoxin M1

In this study, a chloramphenicol and aflatoxin M1 aptamer-functionalized DNA hydrogel was designed for the simultaneous detection of chloramphenicol and aflatoxin M1 for the first time. The acrydite-modified chloramphenicol aptamer sequence was used to synthesize the DNA hydrogel and for visual detection of chloramphenicol depending on the gel-to-sol transition of the target-responsive DNA hydrogel. The DNA hydrogel formulation was set as follows: 60% of each linear polyacrylamide-DNA conjugate and 40% of acrylamide and chloramphenicol aptamer/DNA strand-1 at a molar ratio of 1:1, and the lowest concentration of chloramphenicol leading to gel dissociation was 1.0 nM at 25 °C. Furthermore, the formalized aptamer-functionalized DNA hydrogel was used to detect aflatoxin M1 by measuring the recovery of the fluorescence signal that was quenched when the FAM-labeled aflatoxin M1 aptamer and BHQ1-labeled DNA strand-2 were hybridized to form a double-stranded DNA in the network of hydrogel. The detection platform was successfully applied to the detection of chloramphenicol and aflatoxin M1, both in aqueous solution and in milk. The aptamer-functionalized DNA hydrogel had detection (LOD) and quantification limits (LOQ) for aflatoxin M1 as 1.7 and 5.2 nM, respectively. Using two aptamer sequences with high affinity and specificity, the dual-sensing platform based on the DNA hydrogel achieved higher selectivity for chloramphenicol and aflatoxin M1, which demonstrated its potential as a reliable simultaneous detection platform against two different targets for monitoring food safety.

MXene-AuNP-Based Electrochemical Aptasensor for Ultra-Sensitive Detection of Chloramphenicol in Honey

A simple and label-free electrochemical aptasensor was developed for ultra-sensitive determination of chloramphenicol (CAP) based on a 2D transition of metal carbides (MXene) loaded with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The embedded AuNPs not only inhibit the aggregation of MXene sheets, but also improve the quantity of active sites and electronic conductivity. The aptamers (Apts) were able to immobilize on the MXene–AuNP modified electrode surface through Au–S interaction. Upon specifically binding with CAP with high affinity, the CAP–Apt complexes produced low conductivity on the aptasensor surface, leading to a decreased electrochemical signal. The resulting current change was quantitatively correlated with CAP concentration. Under optimized experimental conditions, the constructed aptasensor exhibited a good linear relationship within a wide range of 0.0001–10 nM and with a low detection limit of 0.03 pM for CAP. Moreover, the developed aptasensor has been applied to the determination of CAP concentration in honey samples with satisfactory results.

Label free structure-switching fluorescence polarization detection of chloramphenicol with truncated aptamer

In this study, the original chloramphenicol aptamer containing 80 bases was truncated to 30 bases with high affinity by the SYBR Green I assay. It was found that the ionic strength and type affect the recognition of aptamers, especially magnesium ion played a vital role in the binding process. Furthermore, the binding performance of aptamer, including binding mode, key binding sites and conformational changes were further investigated by circular dichroism spectroscopy, UV-vis absorption spectrum and molecular docking. Based on these research data, we inferred that chloramphenicol bound to the minor groove region in the aptamer double helix. Finally, the optimized aptamer LLR10 was used to develop a novel label free fluorescence polarization assay to detect chloramphenicol within SYBR Green I as the source of fluorescence polarization signal. Under optimal conditions, the designed method showed a linear detection range of 0.1-10 nM with a detection limit of 0.06 nM. Additionally, the aptasensor exhibited a high accuracy to the detection of chloramphenicol in milk samples with a recovery rate from 93.7% to 98.4%. Therefore, the developed label free fluorescence polarization aptasensor provides a new idea for the rapid, reliable and sensitive detection of chloramphenicol, which can be applied to food safety control.

An electrochemical aptasensor based on PEI-C3N4/AuNWs for determination of chloramphenicol via exonuclease-assisted signal amplification

An electrochemical aptasensor, including the polyethyleneimine-graphite-like carbon nitride/Au nanowire nanocomposite (PEI-C₃N₄/AuNWs) and exonuclease-assisted signal amplification strategy was constructed for the determination of chloramphenicol (CAP). Initially, a nanocomposite with substantial electrocatalytic property was synthesized by PEI-C₃N₄/AuNWs. This improves the conductivity and specific surface area of the PEI-C₃N₄/AuNW-modified gold electrode. Next, a DNA with a complementary sequence to a CAP aptamer (cDNA) was immobilized on the PEI-C₃N₄/AuNW-modified electrode, followed by the CAP aptamer hybridized with cDNA. The lower signal at this time is due to the negatively charged phosphate group of the oligonucleotide and [Fe (CN)₆]^3-/4- electrostatically repelling each other. The presence of the CAP would cause aptamer on the electrode surface to fall off and be digested by Recjf exonuclease, which resulted in target recycling, and a significant increase in DPV signal can be observed at a potential of 0.176 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). Under optimal conditions, there is a linear relationship between the peak current and the logarithm of CAP concentration in the range 100 fM-1 μM, and the detection limit of this aptasensor is 2.96 fM (S/N = 3). Furthermore, the resultant aptasensor has excellent specificity, reproducibility, and long-term stability, and has been applied to the detection of CAP in milk samples. Graphical abstract The detection principle of the electrochemical aptasensor for CAP detection was based on PEI-C₃N₄/AuNWs and exonuclease-assistant signal amplification. It is based on the fact that PEI-C3N4/AuNWs nanocomposites on the surface of the electrode can effectively improve the performance of the aptasensor, and Recjf exonuclease initiates the target recycling process, causes signal amplification.

Detection of chloramphenicol with an aptamer-based colorimetric assay: critical evaluation of specific and unspecific binding of analyte molecules

A chloramphenicol (CAP)-binding aptamer of 80 nucleotides (nt) was reported in 2011. In 2014, it was truncated to 40 nt and has since been used by most researchers, although a careful binding study is still lacking. In this work, binding assays using isothermal titration calorimetry and various DNA-staining dyes were performed. By comparing the truncated aptamer with three control sequences, no specific binding of CAP was observed in each case. The secondary structures of the original and truncated aptamers were analyzed, and it was shown that the likelihood of the truncated aptamer to retain the same binding mechanism as the original sequence is low. We further examined gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-based label-free colorimetric assays. By quantifying the extinction ratio at 620 nm over that at 520 nm, a similar color response was observed regardless of the sequence of DNA, suggesting the color change mainly reflected other events such as the adsorption of CAP by the AuNPs, instead of aptamer binding to CAP. Salt-induced aggregation experiments suggested direct adsorption of CAP on AuNPs. CAP only weakly inhibited DNA adsorption by AuNPs but did not displace pre-adsorbed DNA. Therefore, CAP adsorption by AuNPs needs to be considered when designing related sensors, for example, by using non-aptamer sequences as controls. This work calls for careful confirmation of aptamer binding and control experiments for designing aptamer and AuNP-based biosensors.

Ultra-sensitive detection of malathion residues using FRET-based upconversion fluorescence sensor in food

Malathion is an organophosphorus pesticide which could remain in agricultural products and exert irreversible harmful effects on human health. Hence, strict monitoring of malathion contents is very significant. Here, a highly sensitive fluorescent aptasensor was developed for the determination of malathion, the system was based on a cationic polymer-mediated fluorescence 'turn-off'. In this system, malathion-specific aptamers were bound to cationic polymer through electrostatic interactions. To produce fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), negatively charged upconversion fluorescent nanoparticles (UCNPs) and cationic-polymer encapsulated gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were combined. This combination resulted in fluorescence quenching, and the degree of quenching was correlated with the concentration of malathion. Under optimum conditions, the fluorescence intensities were observed to decrease linearly with the rising concentration of the malathion from 0.01 to 1 μM with a detection limit of 1.42 nM. Furthermore, the developed sensor possessed good selective recognition ability for malathion and was successfully used to detect malathion in adulterated tap water and matcha samples with high accuracy.

An efficient LSPR method to quantitatively detect dimethoate: Development, characterization and evaluation

In recent years, there has been growing concern among consumers about pesticide contamination in fruits. Therefore, rapid, reliable, and consistent detection methods for OPPs, especially dimethoate, are crucially needed. The existing quantitative methods for detecting dimethoate are not suitable for rapid measuring system such as the dimethoate samples from two channels. Hence this paper examines the utilization of a dual-channel system for utilize the absorption variations of the Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) bands of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were investigate for detection of dimethoate. Under optimized conditions, the relationship between concentrations of dimethoate and absorbance ratios (A(520)/A(640)) was linearly found in the concentration range of 10–100 nM. Result from the experiment shows that both channels exhibit a linear correlation coefficient as high as 0.97 and a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 5.5 nM. This LSPR detection system was characterized by testing the dimethoate in apple samples and the recovery rates were found to be in the range of 85.90% to 107.37%. The proposed dual-channel LSPR system for detecting dimethoate creating a new approach for detecting organophosphate insecticide in agricultural fields. It could lay the foundation for designing a high-throughput analysis of the insecticides using a wavelength division multiplexing switch (WDMS).

An enzyme-free fluorometric nanoprobe for chloramphenicol based on signal amplification using graphene oxide sheets

A sensitive and selective method for the determination of the antibiotic chloramphenicol (CAP) is described, which is based on double signal amplification and GO as an efficient fluorescence quencher. The nucleic acid probe is composed of three well-defined regions, viz. the signal probe I, the signal probe II, and the capture probe. The capture probe will bind to CAP specifically and the signal probes produce a significant fluorescence signal. One end of the signal probes is labeled with the fluorophore 6-carboxyfluorescein (FAM). The labeled probes can be adsorbed on graphene oxide (GO) via π-stacking interactions, upon which the green fluorescence of FAM (measured at excitation/emission wavelengths of 490/514 nm) is quenched. On addition of CAP, the aptamer/CAP complexes are formed, and this leads to the restoration of fluorescence due to the removal of the probes from GO. The double signal probes, together with GO as quencher, improve the fluorescence signal significantly and lower the detection limit. Under optimized conditions, the assay works in the 20- to 200-ppb CAP concentration range and has a 0.3-ppb detection limit. It is also successfully applied to the determination of CAP in spiked swine urine samples. The recoveries from spiked swine urine samples are between 97.73 and 108.56%, and the repeatability (expressed as the RSD) is between 4.66 and 8.90%. Graphical abstract The constructed DNA probes form a stable structure and bind to chloramphenicol specifically. One end of signal probes was labeled with the fluorophore 6-carboxyfluorescein (FAM). The detection sensitivity of chloramphenicol was significantly enhanced by using double signal amplification, which was superior to the traditional methods. The quantities of CAP can be achieved by fluorescence increment.

Impedimetric ultrasensitive detection of chloramphenicol based on aptamer MIP using a glassy carbon electrode modified by 3-ampy-RGO and silver nanoparticle

In this research work, a biosensor with a dual recognition system was fabricated and founded on a combination of aptasensing and the molecular imprinting union of the chloramphenicol (CAP) selective detection. CAP, is an antibiotic, was applied in veterinary and human in order to treat gram-positive and gram-negative infections. It is worth mentioning that CAP residue brings about earnest side effects on human health. According to this, in this sensing system, 3-aminomethyl pyridine functionalized graphene oxide (GO) (3-ampy-RGO) has been coated on the surface of GCE. Afterwards, the silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) was coated on the 3-ampy-RGO/GCE and, then, the CAP complex-amino-aptamer (NH₂-Apt[CAP]) was attached to the AgNP/3-ampy-RGO/GCE using a kind of bonding formation of Ag-N. In this sense, it is worth noting that the resorcinol electropolymerization around the complex of aptamer/CAP would confine the complex and, then, retain the aptamer. Following the CAP removal, the MIP cavity, as it was supposed, synergistically acted with that of the embedded aptamer in order to construct a nanohybrid receptor. Interestingly, the double exact property of the molecular imprinting polymers and aptamers led to the superb sensing properties. In the mentioned system it was illustrated that the linear range was from 1.0 pM to 1.0 nM with the detection limit of 0.3 pM; consequently, as observed, it was better than or as good as other similar assays. Moreover, the mentioned system whose activity was observed in the various interferences presence showed great selectivity in detected the CAP. Finally, the designed sensor exhibited outstanding results when applied to detect CAP in milk samples.