Voltammetric DNA Sensors for the DNA Damage Detection Using Poly(Acridine Orange) Coatings Deposited from Reline and Glyceline

Abstract A voltammetric DNA sensor has been developed to detect DNA damage from calf thymus by measuring changes in redox signals in cyclic voltammograms of poly(Acridine Orange) (PAO) coatings. This polymer was synthesized on a carbon printed electrode from deep eutectic solvents—reline and glyceline—and a phosphate buffer solution. The optimal conditions for immobilizing DNA on each of the polymer coatings have been found. The effect of the polymerization medium on the electrochemical characteristics of the polyacridine dye layer and the polymer sensitivity to the thermal and oxidative damage of DNA has been identified. With the optimal composition of the surface layer the DNA sensor based on poly(Acridine Orange) synthesized from aqueous media (PAO1) reliably detected only chemical DNA oxidation. In contrast, the PAO synthesized from reline (PAO2) and glyceline (PAO3) demonstrated increased sensitivity to the incorporation of calf thymus DNA, which allows to discriminate between native, thermally denatured, and chemically oxidized DNA.