Gold nanoparticle probes for the detection of nucleic acid targets.
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.
Thaxton
C Shad
CS
Northwestern University, Department of Chemistry, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
Georganopoulou
Dimitra G
DG
Mirkin
Chad A
CA
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
D009696:Nucleic Acids; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D006046:Gold