Detecting Arbitrary DNA Mutations Using Graphene Oxide and Ethidium Bromide.

We propose a simple and fast method for detecting arbitrary DNA mutations. Single-stranded DNA probes labeled with fluorescein amidite (FAM-ssDNA), ethidium bromide (EB), and graphene oxide (GO) are employed in the sensing system. The detection is achieved in two steps. In the first step, the sensing system contains FAM-ssDNA probes and EB molecules. It exhibits different fluorescence emissions in the presence of perfectly matched, mismatched, and random DNA sequences. With the addition of GO in the second step, the fluorescence signal for perfectly matched and random DNA does not vary greatly, which, however, experiences a significant change for mismatched DNA targets. The signal ratio before and after the addition of GO can clearly distinguish mutations from normal and random DNA sequences. The detection method works well regardless of the mutation positions and only requires "mix-and-detect" steps, which are completed within 15 min.