A novel quantum dots (QDs) ECL biosensor for the detection of lysozyme was developed. Lysozyme was first incubated with probes immobilized at Au electrode in order to form the aptamer-lysozyme bioaffinity complexes. And the free probes were hybridized with the 5'-biotin modified cDNA oligonucleotides to form double-stranded DNA (ds-DNA) oligonucleotides. Avidin-QDs were bound to these hybridized cDNA through the biotin-avidin-system. The ECL signal of the biosensor was responsive to the amount of QDs bonded to the cDNA oligonucleotides, which was indirectly inverse proportional to the combined target protein. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.