Graphene oxide/silver nanoclusters based logic devices and their application to multiplexed analysis of miRNA

Abstract Molecular-level logic gates have drawn increasing attention in nonarithmetic information processing, data transmission, logic computation and multiplexed analysis. Based on the characteristic of the graphene oxide (GO) and DNA-stabilized silver nanoclusters (AgNCs), a simple and universal platform is developed for integration of multiple logic gates to achieve parity generator and parity checker functions. The parity generator/checker can detect the inevitable bit errors during any type of binary data transmission. Moreover, the GO/AgNCs platform has the ability to construct analog OR and INHIBIT logic gates. And the integration of OR and INHIBIT logic gates provide an interesting approach for distinguishing multiple target miRNAs, presenting great application in development of rapid and intelligent detection. The function of a parity generator/checker and advanced sensor has been realized with fluorescent molecular switches taking advantage of the efficient adsorption/quenching ability of GO toward AgNCs, preventing laborious modification of biomolecules. Furthermore, as the fluorescence quencher consists of biocompatible nanomaterials, the devices can stably perform their logic operations in a biological matrix, which holds great potential application in future clinical diagnosis.