Detection of mutations using a localized surface plasmon resonance biosensor

In genetic research, detecting mutations in the genome is very important. In cancer research, identifying mutations that are responsible for the development of the disease is vital for managing the progression and spread of the disease. Identifying subtle mutations in sequences is difficult, and more sensitive methods are required. To this end, different techniques have been developed to detect these mutations. The increasing number of techniques suggests that a perfect technique is yet to be identified. Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) biosensor is an efficient alternative technique for detecting mutations due to its highly confined and enhanced electric fields near an interface with rapid evanescent decay. LSPR does not need to be equipped with additional optical coupling devices, such as prisms or angular detectors. Further, its strong scattering coefficients and absorption capabilities eliminate the need for polarization restrictions. The low field decay length of 10-30 nm and the low sensitivity to bulk RI changes and stability to temperature fluctuations allow it to accurately track analytes close to their surfaces, and consequently detect small biological interactions. In this study, LSPR was able to detect and differentiate interactions between 100% complementary DNA sequences and uncomplimentary DNA sequences. Oligonucleotide probes immobilized on a gold-coated sensor slide were used as a source of DNA sequence, and the acquired results indicated that LSPR was successfully able to recognize changes between samples of 100% DNA hybridization and those with uncomplimentary sequences. Based on these results, LSPR can be used as a potential technique in the detection of viral mutation at a faster rate.