Ternary Nanostructure Coupling Flip-Flap Origami-Based Aptasensor for the Detection of Dengue Virus Antigens

Abstract

There is currently a lot of interest in the construction of point-of-care devices stemming from paper-based origami biosensors. These devices demonstrate how paper’s foldability permits the construction of sensitive, selective, user-friendly, intelligent, and maintainable analytical devices for the detection of several ailments. Herein, the first example of the electrochemical aptasensor-based polyvalent dengue viral antigen detection using the origami paper-folding method is presented. Coupling it with an aptamer leads to the development of a new notation known as OBAs, or origami-based aptasensor, that presents a multitude of advantages to the developed platform, such as assisting in safeguarding the sample from air-dust particles, providing confidentiality, and providing a closed chamber to the electrodes. In this paper, gold-decorated nanocomposites of zinc and graphene oxide (Au/ZnO/GO) were synthesized via the chemical method, and characterization was conducted by Scanning Electron Microscope, Transmission Electron Microscope, UV-Vis, and XRD which reveals the successful formation of nanocomposites, mainly helping to enhance the signal and specificity of the sensor by employing aptamers, since isolation and purification procedures are not required. The biosensor that is being demonstrated here is affordable, simple, and efficient. The reported biosensor is an OBA detection of polyvalent antigens of the dengue virus in human serum, presenting a good range from 0.0001 to 0.1 mg/mL with a limit of detection of 0.0001 mg/mL. The reported single-folding ori-aptasensor demonstrates exceptional sensitivity, specificity, and performance in human serum assays, and can also be used for the POC testing of various viral infections in remote areas and underdeveloped countries, as well as being potentially effective during outbreaks. Highlights: (1) First report on origami-based aptasensors for the detection of polyvalent antigens of DENV; (2) In-house construction of low-cost origami-based setup; (3) Gold-decorated zinc/graphene nanocomposite characterization was confirmed via FESEM/UV-Vis/FTIR; (4) Cross-reactivity of dengue-aptamer has been deduced; (5) Electrochemical validation was conducted through CV.