Electrochemical Biosensing: From Interaction Between Epilobium Species and Dna To an Approach To Detect New Electroactive Components in Plant Extracts and Their Effects on Dna

Abstract

Here, a simple and label-free biosensor based on disposable pencil graphite electrode (PGE) was developed for the first time to investigate the interaction between Epilobium sp. plant extract containing active compounds (quercetin and kaempferol) and DNA using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The solution of extract was interacted with calf thymus double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) which immobilized onto the biosensor surface by simple adsorption. The effect of Epilobium on double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) was then analyzed by monitoring the changes in electrochemical signals arising from both guanine bases in DNA and the electroactive compounds in Epilobium extract. Epilobium content was also detected by using HPLC/MS/MS technique, and the gained results were compared with those obtained by electrochemical method. It was found that both methodologies supported each other in terms of active ingredients in Epilobium sp. Numerous factors affecting the extract-DNA interaction were optimized such as Epilobium concentration, interaction time. The developed DNA sensor can well detect Epilobium extract-DNA interaction in 60-min detection time with 26 ng of detection limit in 50 mu L of sample volume with a linear range from 1 to 10 mu g/mL. This study includes alternative method that can be used to detect new electroactive components present or to be found in different plant extracts and their interactions with DNA.