Synthesis of Adenine-based Fluorescent and Naked-eye Chemosensors: Specific DNA Probes for the Detection of Bacterial Pathogens

Abstract

A rapid and confident tool to identify and diagnose bacterial pathogens with more accuracy using DNA as fingerprints is necessary. Herein, we report a smart chemosensor having a terminal adenine sticking to the thymine of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) through supramolecular interactions and, which leaves ssDNA when the same ssDNA matches with the targeting desired DNA. We have synthesized a naked-eye coloured chemosensor with carbazole. As a model genetic material, DNA of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis was hybridized to ssDNA and immobilized over nitrocellulose membrane. The prepared adenine-chemosensor, by passing through the nitrocellulose-ssDNA membrane caused the formation of ssDNA nitrocellulose-ssDNA-adenine-chemosensor. FTIR results of the immobilized ssDNAs showed that the matching of same ssDNA releases the adenine-chemosensor from the surface of nitrocellulose-ssDNA that results in formation of the double stranded DNA. The selectivity of chemosensor was also confirmed with different bacterial DNA (Bacillus subtilis) as control. These data highlights accurate and reliable results of a new diagnostic kit prototype promising for further studies, which is able to diagnose DNA quickly and precisely.