Monitoring Single DNA Docking Site Activity with Sequential Modes of an Optoplasmonic Whispering-Gallery Mode Biosensor

In recent years, there has been rapid advancement in single-molecule techniques, driven by their unparalleled precision in studying molecules whose sizes are beyond the diffraction limit. Among these techniques, optoplasmonic whispering gallery mode sensing has demonstrated great potential in label-free single-molecule characterization. It combines the principles of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and whispering gallery mode (WGM) sensing, offering exceptional sensing capabilities, even at the level of single ions. However, current optoplasmonic WGM sensing operates in a multiplexed channel, making it challenging to focus on individual binding sites of analyte molecules. In this article, we characterize different binding sites of DNA analyte molecules hybridizing to docking strands on the optoplasmonic WGM sensor, using the ratio of the resonance shift between sequential polar WGM modes. We identify specific docking sites that undergo transient interactions and eventually hybridize with the complementary analyte strands permanently.