Utilization of Catalytic Hydrogen Evolution in Electrochemical Analysis of Nucleic Acids

Abstract

Catalysis of hydrogen evolution (CHE) at mercury in the presence of proteins was discovered shortly after the introduction of polarography. In contrast to proteins, unmodified nucleic acids have not been reported to produce distinct signals due to the CHE to date.

Chemically modified nucleic acids bearing certain extrinsic groups produce analytically useful signals due to hydrogen evolution catalyzed by the respective modifications. These species include (a) transition metal complexes, and (b) non-metal catalytically active organic moieties.

In addition, the CHE has been reported to be involved in guanine reduction process at the mercury-based electrodes.

Keywords

• catalytic hydrogen evolution
• mercury
• amalgam
• DNA modification
• DNA labeling
• guanine reduction