NanoCluster Beacons Enable Detection of a Single N⁶-Methyladenine.
While N(6)-methyladenine (m(6)A) is a common modification in prokaryotic and lower eukaryotic genomes and has many biological functions, there is no simple and cost-effective way to identify a single N(6)-methyladenine in a nucleic acid target. Here we introduce a robust, simple, enzyme-free and hybridization-based method using a new silver cluster probe, termed methyladenine-specific NanoCluster Beacon (maNCB), which can detect single m(6)A in DNA targets based on the fluorescence emission spectra of silver clusters. Not only can maNCB identify m(6)A at the single-base level but it also can quantify the extent of adenine methylation in heterogeneous samples. Our method is superior to high-resolution melting analysis as we can pinpoint the location of m(6)A in the target.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, Texas 78712, United States.
Yu-An
YA
Chen
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, Texas 78712, United States.
Judy M
JM
Obliosca
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, Texas 78712, United States.
Yen-Liang
YL
Liu
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, Texas 78712, United States.
Cong
C
Liu
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, Texas 78712, United States.
Mary L
ML
Gwozdz
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, Texas 78712, United States.
Hsin-Chih
HC
Yeh
D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D015342:DNA Probes / Q000737:chemistry*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization
D000225:Adenine; D015342:DNA Probes; C000730567:6-methyladenine