Label-Free Detection of O157:H7 DNA Using Light-Addressable Potentiometric Sensors with Highly Oriented ZnO Nanorod Arrays.

The detection of bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is of great significance in the quality control of food and water. In this study, a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) deposited with highly oriented ZnO nanorod arrays (NRAs) was used for the label-free detection of single-stranded bacterial DNA (ssDNA). A functional, sensitive surface for the detection of () O157:H7 DNA was prepared by the covalent immobilization of the specific probe single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) on the LAPS surface. The functional surface was exposed to solutions containing the target ssDNA molecules, which allowed for the hybridization of the target ssDNA with the probe ssDNA. The surface charge changes induced by the hybridization of the probe ssDNA with the target ssDNA were monitored using LAPS measurements in a label-free manner. The results indicate that distinct signal changes can be registered and recorded to detect the target ssDNA. The lower detection limit of the target ssDNA corresponded to 1.0 × 10 colony forming units (CFUs)/mL of O157:H7 cells. All the results demonstrate that this DNA biosensor, based on the electrostatic detection of ssDNA, provides a novel approach for the sensitive and effective detection of bacterial DNA, which has promising prospects and potential applications in the quality control of food and water.