Electrochemical Biosensing Techniques for MicroRNA Detection

MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNA molecules that serve as vital biomarkers for a range of diseases, notably cancer. Their low abundance in biological fluids poses significant analytical challenges, driving the development of highly sensitive, selective and rapid detection methods. Electrochemical biosensors convert molecular recognition events into electrical signals through interactions at an electrode interface. Approaches include label-free hybridisation on modified electrodes and label-based assays employing redox-active probes, intercalators or enzymatic amplifiers. Nanomaterials such as gold nanoparticles, graphene derivatives and molybdenum disulphide nanosheets enhance signal transduction by increasing electrode surface area, promoting charge transfer and facilitating signal amplification via strategies like hybridisation chain reaction and catalytic hairpin assembly. Transduction modalities span voltammetric techniques (differential pulse and square wave), impedance spectroscopy, chronocoulometry and amperometry, guided by tailored probe chemistries such as peptide nucleic acids and DNA hairpins. Such platforms enable miniaturised point-of-care formats, smartphone integration and operation in resource-limited settings, offering promise for early diagnosis, disease monitoring and personalised therapeutic decision making.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A dual-mode electrochemical platform employs peptide nucleic acid probes immobilised on gold electrodes combined with gold-nanoparticle amplification. This design enables microRNA detection through both impedance changes and square wave voltammetry, achieving a limit of detection in the sub-femtomolar range and clear discrimination of single-base mismatches over a broad dynamic window. Another foundational study integrates hybridisation chain reaction with positively charged gold nanoparticles: target-initiated assembly of long DNA polymers induces nanoparticle precipitation, yielding an optical readout that quantifies miR-21 in the picomolar range within serum samples. These advances illustrate the power of nanomaterial-linked amplification and multiplexed electrochemical readouts for ultrasensitive microRNA assays.

Electrochemical Biosensing Techniques for MicroRNA Detection publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in electrochemical biosensing techniques for microrna detection across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy: A technique measuring changes in resistance and capacitance at an electrode interface to monitor biomolecular binding events.

Differential pulse voltammetry: A voltammetric method applying potential pulses to quantify redox-active species with enhanced sensitivity.

Chronocoulometry: A charge-based electrochemical technique recording accumulated current over time to quantify surface-bound targets.

Peptide nucleic acid (PNA): A synthetic nucleic acid analogue featuring a neutral peptide backbone, offering high affinity and specificity for complementary RNA.

Hybridisation chain reaction (HCR): An enzyme-free signal amplification strategy in which target-triggered DNA hairpins assemble into long polymers, amplifying detection.

DNA origami: A self-assembly approach using a long scaffold strand folded by short staples into precise nanostructures to organise probes spatially.

Laser-induced graphene (LIG): A conductive, porous graphene network produced by laser irradiation of polymer substrates, serving as a versatile sensing interface.

References

1. Smartphone-Interfaced Electrochemical Biosensor for microRNA Detection Based on Laser-Induced Graphene with π–π Stacked Peptide Nucleic Acid Probes. ACS Materials Letters (2024).
2. Highly sensitive dual mode electrochemical platform for microRNA detection. Scientific Reports (2016).
3. Sensitive detection of miRNA by using hybridization chain reaction coupled with positively charged gold nanoparticles. Scientific Reports (2016).
4. Facile and Label-Free Electrochemical Biosensors for MicroRNA Detection Based on DNA Origami Nanostructures. ACS Omega (2019).
5. Paper-Based Electrochemical Biosensors for Voltammetric Detection of miRNA Biomarkers Using Reduced Graphene Oxide or MoS2 Nanosheets Decorated with Gold Nanoparticle Electrodes. Biosensors (2021).
6. Recent Progress in Nanomaterials Modified Electrochemical Biosensors for the Detection of MicroRNA. Micromachines (2021).
7. Electrochemical Biosensors for Detection of MicroRNA as a Cancer Biomarker: Pros and Cons. Biosensors (2020).