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Abstract
This paper described a novel label-free electrochemiluminescence assay for target
protein based on a controlled delivery system. Iron oxide magnetic mesoporous silica
nanocontainers were prepared by using a general procedure. The prepared magnetic mesoporous
silica nanocontainers were applied to load the guest molecules [Ru(bpy)3](2+). Aptamers
were used as gatekeepers on the pore outlets of the nanocontainers. In the presence
of target proteins, the specific aptamer-protein interactions were employed as triggers
for uncapping the pores and releasing the guest molecules from the nanocontainers.
The amount of the guest molecule [Ru(bpy)3](2+) released from the magnetic mesoporous
silica nanocontainers was monitored by the electrochemiluminescence assay. The results
show that the releasing amount of [Ru(bpy)3](2+) is proportional to the thrombin concentration
in the range of 0.6 pM-0.8 nM with a detection limit of 0.5 pM (S/N=3). The present
work demonstrates that the fabricated nanocontainer using aptamer as the cap is a
highly sensitive and selective key-in lock gating system for the label-free ECL biosensor.