TY - JOUR A1 - Wu, Chunsheng A1 - Poghossian, Arshak A1 - Bronder, Thomas A1 - Schöning, Michael Josef T1 - Sensing of double-stranded DNA molecules by their intrinsic molecular charge using the light-addressable potentiometric sensor JF - Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical N2 - A multi-spot light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS), which belongs to the family of semiconductor field-effect devices, was applied for label-free detection of double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (dsDNA) molecules by their intrinsic molecular charge. To reduce the distance between the DNA charge and sensor surface and thus, to enhance the electrostatic coupling between the dsDNA molecules and the LAPS, the negatively charged dsDNA molecules were electrostatically adsorbed onto the gate surface of the LAPS covered with a positively charged weak polyelectrolyte layer of PAH (poly(allylamine hydrochloride)). The surface potential changes in each spot of the LAPS, induced by the layer-by-layer adsorption of a PAH/dsDNA bilayer, were recorded by means of photocurrent-voltage and constant-photocurrent measurements. In addition, the surface morphology of the gate surface before and after consecutive electrostatic adsorption of PAH and dsDNA layers was studied by atomic force microscopy measurements. Moreover, fluorescence microscopy was used to verify the successful adsorption of dsDNA molecules onto the PAH-modified LAPS surface. A high sensor signal of 25 mV was registered after adsorption of 10 nM dsDNA molecules. The lower detection limit is down to 0.1 nM dsDNA. The obtained results demonstrate that the PAH-modified LAPS device provides a convenient and rapid platform for the direct label-free electrical detection of in-solution hybridized dsDNA molecules. KW - Layer-by-layer adsorption KW - Poly(allylamine hydrochloride) KW - Label-free detection KW - DNA biosensor KW - LAPS KW - Field effect Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.snb.2016.02.004 SN - 0925-4005 IS - 229 SP - 506 EP - 512 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER -