This paper describes the development of a DNA sensor based on polypyrrole nanowire. By using potentiostatic technique, in the presence of gelatin as the soft mold, the polypyrrole nanowires were synthesized on the surface of the micro-sensor. The surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy shows that the N-H ends of the polypyrrole nanowires orientate upward from the surface facilitating the DNA probe immobilization through the simple linkage with the phosphate groups of the probe DNA. The label-free signal readout was carried out by lock-in amplifier technique. The response time of the DNA sensor is 10 s and the measurement time was 5 min. The lowest detectable concentration of Escherichia coil DNA was 0.1 nM. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.