title: A label-free fluorescence sensor for probing the interaction of oligonucleotides with target molecules.
abstract: This paper describes a universal, label-free fluorescence sensor that gauges the interaction of oligonucleotides with their targets. The sensor is based on supramolecular assemblies formed by oligonucleotides (polyanions) and small molecule cation surfactant in aqueous solution. The environmentally dependent dye pyrene, encapsulated in the apolar interiors of the assemblies via hydrophobic interactions works as the fluorescence probe. Target binding causes the conformational change of the oligonucleotides, which results in disorganization of supramolecular assemblies, release of pyrene into the aqueous solution and subsequent quenching of its fluorescence. The kinetic processes (including the formation of supramolecular assemblies and the release of pyrenes after adding the targets) were investigated. The fluorescence decreases of pyrenes are proportional to the concentrations of targets within the linear ranges. This label-free fluorescence system is simple, convenient, low cost, and can serve as an alternative tool for interaction studies of oligonucleotides with their targets, especially with small molecular targets.
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bing
authors.forename: Xiangjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Dihua
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shangguan
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D000077286:Cetrimonium; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008024:Ligands; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds; D008024:Ligands; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D011721:Pyrenes; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C030984:pyrene; D000077286:Cetrimonium