Ultrasensitive　chemiluminescence　(CL)　sensors　for　biomolecules　(DNA　and　proteins)　have　been　developed　by　adopting　DNA-functionalized　silver-cysteine　hybrid　nanowires　(p-SCNWs)　as　signal　amplifying　labels.　The　sensing　is　established　from　a　sandwich-type　DNA　hybridization,　where　the　target　DNA　strands　are　initially　hybridized　with　the　capture　DNA　located　at　paramagnetic　microspheres　(PMs)　and　subsequently　hybridized　with　p-SCNWs　functionalized　with　the　signal　DNA　probe.　After　magnetic　separation,　p-SCNWs　on　the　hybrids　were　completely　decomposed　with　HNO3　to　release　numerous　silver　ions.　The　powerful　catalysis　of　silver　ions　toward　the　redox　reaction　of　K2S2O8-Mn2+-H3PO4　causes　the　generation　of　KMnO4　that　is　capable　of　oxidizing　luminol　at　high　pH,　triggering　an　amplified　chemiluminescent　signal　emission.　The　sensing　combines　the　extraordinary　sensitivity　of　the　catalytic　chemiluminescence　technology　and　the　amplifying　strategy　via　releasing　large　quantities　of　silver　ions　as　the　catalyst　from　each　hybrid,　enabling　the　assay　of　target　DNA　strands　at　a　concentration　as　low　as　0.34　fM.　The　CL　signals　associated　with　single-base　pair　mismatched　DNA　strands　and　non-complementary　DNA　strands　are　able　to　be　discriminated　well　from　the　CL　signal　related　to　the　complementary　DNA　hybridization.　Likewise,　the　combination　of　p-SCNWs　functionalized　with　an　aptamer　and　PMs/aptamer/thrombin　complex　allowed　the　chemiluminescence　sensing　of　thrombin　with　a　low　limit　of　detection　corresponding　to　0.17　pM.　©　2018　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.