title: PNA molecular beacons for rapid detection of PCR amplicons.
abstract: The authors have developed a method for rapid detection of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplicons based on surface immobilized PNA-DNA hybrid probes ('molecular beacons') that undergo a fluorescent-linked conformational change in the presence of a complementary DNA target. Amplicons can be detected by simply adding a PCR reaction to a microtitre-well containing the previously immobilized probe, and reading the generated fluorescence. No further transfers or washing steps are involved. The authors demonstrate the specificity of the method for the detection of ribosomal DNA from Entamoeba histolytica.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Recognition and Structural Biology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Estrada
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Lizardi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018736:DNA Adducts / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D015342:DNA Probes / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000235:genetics; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D020135:Peptide Nucleic Acids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D014148:Tranexamic Acid; D004124:p-Dimethylaminoazobenzene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D018736:DNA Adducts; D015342:DNA Probes; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D020135:Peptide Nucleic Acids; C063127:4-(4-dimethylaminophenylazo)benzoic acid; D014148:Tranexamic Acid; D004124:p-Dimethylaminoazobenzene