42. An Electrochemical Gene Detection Assay Utilising T7 Exonuclease Activity on Complementary Probe-Target Oligonucleotide Sequences
 
Electrochemistry Communications 2004, 6, 1227-1232
Hillier, S. C.; Flower, S. E.; Frost, C. G.; Jenkins, A. T. A.; Keay, R.; Braven, H.; Clarkson, J.
This communication describes the synthesis of an electrochemically active oligonucleotide probe and its application in sensing complementary oligonucleotides sequences using a T7 exonuclease enzyme. Target oligonucleotides are detected by hybridisation with a ferrocene labelled probe oligonucleotide followed by addition of T7 exonuclease. The T7 enzyme is a double strand specific exonuclease that removes the terminal 5' nucleotide of the probe sequence. The 5' nucleotide is attached to a ferrocene label, which is subsequently detected at an electrode using differential pulse voltammetry. Time and temperature resolved measurements were performed and an associated study using dual labelled fluorophore-quencher labelled probes was performed to confirm the validity of the electrochemical assay.