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Protein-Based Nanobiosensors

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Biosensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2020) | Viewed by 3298

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Mathematics and Physics “E. De Giorgi”, University of Salento, Via Arnesano, I-73100 Lecce, Italy
Interests: proteotronics; biosensors; electronic transport in biological matter; modelling
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect recent research and developments in the field of protein/aptamer-based biosensors.
From the time when they were introduced by L.C. Clark, biosensors have dominated the scene of applied scientific research, opening new perspectives in diagnostic and medical techniques, thus improving the quality of life of healthy and sick people. The investigation about sensing and target materials, the biophysical and chemical aspects of signal transduction and amplification, as well as the wide possibility of custom-fit designs, have captured the attention of scientists from different expertise areas. Furthermore, the field of applications is not limited to biomedical research, but it covers, amongst others, environmental and energy harvesting issues. The use, at first, of proteins and, more recently, of aptamers as the sensitive part of the sensor has marked a turning point, improving the device sensitivity and selectivity, which are essential requirements for an early and secure detection. This kind of devices can, in principle, detect each kind of toxin, pathogen and, in general, molecule of interest. In doing so, they are supported by the most efficient trackers, i.e., specific proteins selected by millennia of natural evolution. Furthermore, when the products of a natural evolution are too expensive or ethically unsuitable, an “artificial evolution” can be called. Artificial evolution is the procedure (SELEX) for the selection of aptamers, which are synthetic molecules, so they do not pose ethical problems and are usually cheaper than proteins (antibodies, in particular). This can lead to a massive production, which is essential for a plausible entrance of biosensors in daily life.
The issue aims to collect updated reviews and also original contributions with both a theoretical and an experimental outlook. The manuscripts can deal with, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • Electrical and electrochemical biosensors;
  • Aptasensors;
  • Integrated biosensor systems (lab-on-a-chip);
  • Biosolar cells;
  • Noise reduction, control, and energy supply;
  • Bio-field effect transistors.

Dr. Eleonora Alfinito
Guest Editor

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

19 pages, 4782 KiB  
Review
Toward Cancer Diagnostics of the Tumor Suppressor p53 by Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy
by Anna Rita Bizzarri and Salvatore Cannistraro
Sensors 2020, 20(24), 7153; https://doi.org/10.3390/s20247153 - 14 Dec 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2584
Abstract
The tumor suppressor p53 protein plays a crucial role in many biological processes. The presence of abnormal concentrations of wild-type p53, or some of its mutants, can be indicative of a pathological cancer state. p53 represents therefore a valuable biomarker for tumor screening [...] Read more.
The tumor suppressor p53 protein plays a crucial role in many biological processes. The presence of abnormal concentrations of wild-type p53, or some of its mutants, can be indicative of a pathological cancer state. p53 represents therefore a valuable biomarker for tumor screening approaches and development of suitable biosensors for its detection deserves a high interest in early diagnostics. Here, we revisit our experimental approaches, combining Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) and nanotechnological materials, for ultrasensitive detection of wild-type and mutated p53, in the perspective to develop biosensors to be used in clinical diagnostics. The Raman marker is provided by a small molecule (4-ATP) acting as a bridge between gold nanoparticles (NPs) and a protein biomolecule. The Azurin copper protein and specific antibodies of p53 were used as a capture element for p53 (wild-type and its mutants). The developed approaches allowed us to reach a detection level of p53 down to 10−17 M in both buffer and serum. The implementation of the method in a biosensor device, together with some possible developments are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Protein-Based Nanobiosensors)
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