Amplified electrochemical detection of DNA through the aggregation of Au nanoparticles on electrodes and the incorporation of methylene blue into the DNA-crosslinked structure.

The amplified electrochemical sensing of DNA is accomplished by the analyte-induced aggregation of nucleic acid-functionalized Au nanoparticles, deposition of the aggregates on a thiolated monolayer-functionalized electrode, and the voltammetric analysis of the redox-active methylene blue intercalated in the nucleic acid duplexes associated with the aggregates.