Nucleic acids biorecognition elements

Electrochemical DNA biosensors are based on the use of nucleic acids or analogues as biorecognition element and electrochemical techniques for the transduction of the physical chemical signal. Two aspects are essential in the development of hybridization biosensors, sensitivity and selectivity. Traditional methods for detecting the hybridization event are too slow and require special preparation. Therefore, there is an enormous interest in developing new hybridization biosensors, and the electrochemical represent a very good alternative [108]. 

Molecular recognition is central to biosensor technology. Receptors, enzymes, antibodies, aptamers, molecular beacons, and nucleic acids are mainly used as molecular recognition elements in biosensor development (Chambers etal., 2008). Since 1990, nucleic acids, especially deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) have been used as biorecognition elements in biosensor technology. These biosensors are named as DNA-based biosensors. 

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) itself and rather large scale of nucleic acids are utilized as biorecognition elements at DNA biosensors which represent often a type of DNA-modified... 

Nucleic acid research and detection continues to receive enormous attention from researchers because of their association with various genetic diseases and disorders as well as cancer. Various pathogens also show unique nucleic acid sequences that have been utilized in biosensors for their detection. Nucleic acids including single-strand DNA, peptide nucleic acids (PNA), locked nucleic acids, G-quadra-plexes, and DNAzymes have been utilized as biorecognition elements to construct DNA biosensors. 

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