Vincent Clark | Searcharxiv

arXiv2026

Electrochemical DNA Hairpin Sensors for Differentiating Small Molecule Intercalation from Minor Groove Binding

Small molecule double-stranded DNA intercalators have significant potential for therapeutic applications. However, screening for and confirming a drug candidate's intercalative behavior remains labor-intensive and costly. To address this, we investigated the sequence and biophysical parameters that affect the performance of electrochemical DNA hairpin sensors for streamlined identification of structural intercalators. These sensors utilize oligonucleotide (oligo) sequences that form hairpins upon intercalator binding. The 3prime end of the oligo is modified with alkylthiol linkers for gold electrode surface monolayer self-assembly, while the 5prime end carries a methylene blue redox reporter. Hairpin formation enhances electron transfer between methylene blue and the gold electrode, which can be detected via voltammetry. We tested seven hairpin structures varying in stem length and sequence. Our optimal oligo, HP4, features a four-base-pair stem and responds to five DNA intercalators over a broad detection range, with EC50 in close agreement with published affinity (KD) values for these interactions. We further demonstrate HP4s ability to discriminate intercalator binding from a series of minor groove binders through significant differences in signal gain upon incubation. Altogether, our strategy establishes a platform for identifying intercalative compounds that should support the development of DNA-targeting therapeutics.

physics.bio-ph↗

arXiv2024

Extending the Operational Lifetime of Nucleic Acid-Based Electrochemical Sensors via Protection Against Competitive Displacement of Oligonucleotides

Nucleic acid-based electrochemical sensors (NBEs) have emerged as a promising approach to continuous molecular monitoring in vivo. NBEs consist of electrically conducting gold surfaces coated with self-assembled monolayers of a mixture of electrode-passivating alkylthiols and functional alkylthiol-modified oligos. These oligos also display binding sites for the target analyte and redox reporters able to transfer electrons to the underlying gold electrode. Although sufficiently robust for continuous, multi-hour sensing of small molecules and proteins in biological fluids both in vitro and in vivo, NBEs decay over periods longer than 12 hours of continuous operation in these fluids. To address this issue, here we report a biofluid mimetic that can be leveraged to specifically study competitive displacement of oligonucleotides from NBEs, a critical sensor degradation pathway. Using this mimetic, we demonstrate three strategies that drastically mitigate competitive displacement and improve sensor stability in vitro. A combination of these strategies also improves sensor stability in vivo, demonstrated here via sensors emplaced in the brain cortex of live rats.

physics.bio-ph↗