title: Stem-loop oligonucleotides: a robust tool for molecular biology and biotechnology.
abstract: The specific structural features of stem-loop (hairpin) DNA constructs provide increased specificity of target recognition. Recently, several robust assays have been developed that exploit the potential of structurally constrained oligonucleotides to hybridize with their cognate targets. Here, I review new diagnostic approaches based on the formation of stem-loop DNA oligonucleotides: molecular beacon methodology, suppression PCR approaches and the use of hairpin probes in DNA microarrays. The advantages of these techniques over existing ones for sequence-specific DNA detection, amplification and manipulation are discussed.
authors: Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Dept of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA. nebroude@bu.edu
authors: Natalia E
authors: NE
authors: Broude
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D015342:DNA Probes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods*; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes / Q000737:chemistry*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes