title: Triple-helix DNA structural studies using a Love wave acoustic biosensor.
abstract: The development of sensors for detecting the conformation of surface-attached molecules is an emerging field with significance in the pharmaceutical industry and in drug design. In this work, triplex-forming oligos (TFOs), a separate class of non-natural DNA bending agents that can affect the mechanical properties of DNA through the formation of triple-helical structures of specific conformation and/or flexibility, are used as a model system in combination with an acoustic biosensor to determine molecular geometrical features. In practice, the degree of bending of a specific DNA target caused by a particular TFO was evaluated by measuring the ratio of acoustic energy change over phase change observed during the binding of pre-formed triplex DNA molecules to the device surface. The DNA bending angle derived via acoustic measurements is in excellent agreement with previously reported values using molecular biology techniques. The reported acoustic technique appears quite appealing for the biophysical study of DNA molecules providing rapid qualitative and quantitative information, at the same time holding promise to be developed as a high-throughput method for the evaluation of DNA conformational changes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, FO.R.T.H, Vassilika Vouton, 71110, Heraklion, Greece
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papadakis
authors.forename: Achilleas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsortos
authors.forename: Electra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gizeli
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003461:Crystallography / Q000379:methods*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D014159:Transducers
chemical_list: D004247:DNA