title: Gold nanorods-based FRET assay for ultrasensitive detection of DNA methylation and DNA methyltransferase activity.
abstract: A fluorescence method for the detection of DNA methylation and the assay of methyltransferase activity is proposed using gold nanorods as a fluorescence quencher on the basis of fluorescence resonance energy transfer. It is demonstrated that this method is capable of detecting methyltransferase with a detection limit of 0.25 U mL(-1), which might make this method a good candidate for monitoring DNA methylation in the future.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, P. R. China. linb@swu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Gang Lin
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong Qun
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Nian Bing
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods; D019175:DNA Methylation; D057075:Enzyme Assays / Q000379:methods*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015265:Site-Specific DNA-Methyltransferase (Adenine-Specific) / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D006046:Gold; D015265:Site-Specific DNA-Methyltransferase (Adenine-Specific); C499294:dam protein, E coli