title: Highly sensitive and selective oligonucleotide sensor for sickle cell disease gene using photon upconverting nanoparticles.
abstract: We report the design of an oligonucleotide sensor for the detection of point mutation associated with sickle cell disease. The sensor was based on luminescence resonance energy transfer between a donor and an acceptor. Photon upconverting nanoparticles (NaYF(4) doped with Yb(3+) and Er(3+)) were used as the donor and a conventional fluorophore, N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-6-carboxyrhodamine (TAMRA), as the acceptor. The sensor could detect the perfectly matched target, in the background of the mismatched target or other oligonucleotides of random sequences. The detection limit of this sensor towards perfectly matched target was calculated to be 120 femtomoles, with no photobleaching. Oligonucleotide sensors of such design demonstrate high sensitivity and specificity.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Nanomaterial Science, Department of Chemistry, New Mexico Tech., Socorro, NM 87801, USA.
authors.forename: Manoj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Yanyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014159:Transducers