Application of Impedimetric and Voltammetric Genosensor for Detection of a Biological Warfare: Anthrax

A strategy for the detection of anthrax, which is a potential biological weapon by using an electrochemical genosensing technology, is investigated. An alkanathiol-linked or unlabeled capture probe related to B. anthracis is immobilized onto gold or graphite electrode surface. A 101-mer anthrax target is used for hybridization. The extent of hybridization between probe and target sequences is determined by using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and electrochemical impedance spectrometry (EIS). EIS analysis are based on electron transfer resistance (R(ct)) in the presence of [Fe(CN)(6)](3-14-) and DPV measurements are based on transduction of both guanine oxidation and Meldola's blue (MDB) reduction signal as hybridization indicator. The response of the probe-modified electrodes which was interacted with a noncomplementary sequence was the same as the responses of probe-modified surface and proved the specifity of the hybridization with the target. According to these results the developed genosensors based on EIS and DPV techniques can be employed for rapid and selective detection of B. anthracis.