title: Gold-Coated Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles for Single Methyl Discrimination in DNA Aptamers.
abstract: Au- and iron-based magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) are promising NPs for biomedical applications due to their unique properties. The combination of a gold coating over a magnetic core puts together the benefits from adding the magnetic properties to the robust chemistry provided by the thiol functionalization of gold. Here, the use of Au-coated magnetic NPs for molecular detection of a single methylation in DNA aptamer is described. Binding of α-thrombin to two aptamers conjugated to these NPs causes aggregation, a phenomenon that can be observed by UV, DLS and MRI. These techniques discriminate a single methylation in one of the aptamers, preventing aggregation due to the inability of α-thrombin to recognize it. A parallel study with gold and ferromagnetic NPs is detailed, concluding that the Au coating of FexOy NP does not affect their performance and that they are suitable as complex biosensors. These results prove the high detection potency of Au-coated SPIONs for biomedical applications especially for DNA repair detection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Nanotechnology, IQAC-CSIC, CIBER-BBN Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, C/Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain. maria.tintore@iqac.csic.es.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tintoré
authors.affiliation: Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DEFENS), Division of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Milan, Via Celoria 2, 20133 Milan, Italy. stefania.mazzini@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazzini
authors.affiliation: Department Institute of Molecular Science and Technologies, ISTM-CNR, Via G. Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milan, Italy. laura.polito@istm.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Polito
authors.affiliation: Department Institute of Molecular Science and Technologies, ISTM-CNR, Via G. Fantoli 16/15, 20138 Milan, Italy. marcello.marelli@istm.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marelli
authors.affiliation: IMDEA Nanociencia &amp; Nanobiotecnología (IMDEA-Nanociencia), Asociada al Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CSIC), C/Faraday 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain. alfonso.latorre@imdea.org.
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Latorre
authors.affiliation: IMDEA Nanociencia &amp; Nanobiotecnología (IMDEA-Nanociencia), Asociada al Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CSIC), C/Faraday 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain. alvaro.somoza@imdea.org.
authors.forename: Álvaro
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Somoza
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Nanotechnology, IQAC-CSIC, CIBER-BBN Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, C/Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain. aaagma@cid.csic.es.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aviñó
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Nanotechnology, IQAC-CSIC, CIBER-BBN Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, C/Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain. cgcnqb@cid.csic.es.
authors.forename: Carme
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fàbrega
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Nanotechnology, IQAC-CSIC, CIBER-BBN Networking Centre on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, C/Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain. recgma@cid.csic.es.
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eritja
mesh_terms: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D004260:DNA Repair; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011485:Protein Binding; D013917:Thrombin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide; D006046:Gold; D013917:Thrombin
keywords: aptamers; biosensor; gold-coated superparamagnetic nanoparticles; nanotechnology