Label-Free Direct Detection of Cylindrospermopsin via Graphene-Enhanced Surface Plasmon Resonance Aptasensor

Toxins (Basel). 2023 May 10;15(5):326. doi: 10.3390/toxins15050326.

Abstract

In this work, we report a novel method for the label-free detection of cyanotoxin molecules based on a direct assay utilizing a graphene-modified surface plasmon resonance (SPR) aptasensor. Molecular dynamic simulation of the aptamer's interaction with cylindrospermopsin (CYN) reveals the strongest binding sites between C18-C26 pairs. To modify the SPR sensor, the wet transfer method of CVD monolayer graphene was used. For the first time, we report the use of graphene functionalized by an aptamer as a bioreceptor in conjunction with SPR for the detection of CYN. In a direct assay with an anti-CYN aptamer, we demonstrated a noticeable change in the optical signal in response to the concentrations far below the maximum tolerable level of 1 µg/L and high specificity.

Keywords: CVD graphene; aptamer; cyanotoxins; label-free biosensing; surface plasmon resonance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide* / chemistry
  • Biosensing Techniques* / methods
  • Graphite* / chemistry
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance / methods

Substances

  • cylindrospermopsin
  • Graphite
  • Aptamers, Nucleotide

Grants and funding

This research was funded by projects funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme: the IPANEMA, under grant agreement No. 872662 (https://doi.org/10.3030/872662, accessed on 21 March 2023) and work was supported in part by ANTARES, under grant agreement No. 664387 (https://doi.org/10.3030/739570, accessed on 21 March 2023), and by the Ministry of Science, Technological Development, and Innovations of the Republic of Serbia (grant numbers 451-03-47/2023-01/200134 and number 451-03-47/2023-01/200358).