Fluorescent polymeric transducer for the rapid, simple, and specific detection of nucleic acids at the zeptomole level.
We report the specific detection of a few hundred molecules of genetic material using a fluorescent polythiophene biosensor. Such recognition is based on simple electrostatic interactions between a cationic polymeric optical transducer and the negatively charged nucleic acid target and can be done in less than 1 h, simply and affordably, and without any chemical reaction. This simple system is versatile enough to detect nucleic acids of various lengths, including a segment from the RNA genome of the Influenza virus.
Doré
Kim
K
Centre de Recherche en Sciences et Ingénierie des Macromolécules, Département de Chimie, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada G1K 7P4.
Dubus
Sébastien
S
Ho
Hoang-Anh
HA
Lévesque
Isabelle
I
Brunette
Maryse
M
Corbeil
Geneviève
G
Boissinot
Maurice
M
Boivin
Guy
G
Bergeron
Michel G
MG
Boudreau
Denis
D
Leclerc
Mario
M
D000818:Animals; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D036103:Nanotechnology; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis*; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D055672:Static Electricity; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000737:chemistry*
D011108:Polymers; D013876:Thiophenes; C066730:polythiophene; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA