Triplex DNA: A new platform for polymerase chain reaction – based biosensor

Non-specific PCR amplification and DNA contamination usually accompany with PCR process, to overcome these problems, here we establish a sensor for thrombin by sequence-specific recognition of the PCR product with molecular beacon through triplex formation. Probe A and probe B were designed for the sensor, upon addition of thrombin, two probes hybridized to each other and the probe B was extended in the presence of Klenow Fragment polymerase and dNTPs. The PCR amplification occurred with further addition of Taq DNA Polymerase and two primers, the PCR product was recognized by molecular beacon through triplex formation. The fluorescence intensity increased with the logarithm of the concentration of thrombin over the range from 1.0 × 10(-12) M to 1.0 × 10(-7) M, with a detection limit of 261 fM. Moreover, the effect of DNA contamination and non - specific amplification could be ignored completely in the proposed strategy.