title: Gold nanoparticle probes for the detection of nucleic acid targets.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Advances in nanoscience are having a significant impact on many scientific fields and are resulting in the development of a variety of important technologies. This impact is particularly large in the field of biodiagnostics, where a number of nanoparticle-based assays have been introduced for biomolecular detection, with DNA- or protein-functionalized gold nanoparticles used as the target-specific probes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assays provide an analysis of the unique biophysical properties displayed by gold nanoparticles and have advantages over conventional detection methods (e.g., molecular fluorophores, real-time polymerase chain reaction, RT-PCR, enzyme linked immunosorbent assays, ELISAs, gel electrophoresis, and microarray technologies).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some of the advantages include the assays' PCR-like sensitivity, their selectivity for target sequences, their capacity for massive multiplexing, their time efficiency, and most importantly, their ability to be performed at the point of care.
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University, Department of Chemistry, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
authors.forename: C Shad
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Thaxton
authors.forename: Dimitra G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Georganopoulou
authors.forename: Chad A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mirkin
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D049329:Nanostructures; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000032:analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D009696:Nucleic Acids; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D006046:Gold