Interaction of single- and double-stranded DNA with multilayer MXene by fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations

The integration of nucleic acids with nanomaterials has attracted great attention from various research communities in search of new nanoscale tools for a range of applications, from electronics to biomedical uses. MXenes are a new class of multielement 2D materials baring exciting properties mostly directed to energy-related fields. These advanced materials are now beginning to enter the biomedical field given their biocompatibility, hydrophilicity and near-infrared absorption. Herein, we elucidate the interaction of MXene Ti₃C₂Tx with fluorophore-tagged DNA by fluorescence measurements and molecular dynamics simulations. The system showed potential for biosensing with unequivocal detection at picomole levels and single-base discrimination. We found that this material possesses a kinetically unique entrapment/release behavior, with potential implications in time-controlled biomolecule delivery. Our findings present MXenes as platforms for binding nucleic acids, contributing to their potential for hybridization-based biosensing and related bio-applications.