title: Oligonucleotide-based systems: DNA, microRNAs, DNA/RNA aptamers.
abstract: There are an increasing number of applications that have been developed for oligonucleotide-based biosensing systems in genetics and biomedicine. Oligonucleotide-based biosensors are those where the probe to capture the analyte is a strand of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA) or a synthetic analogue of naturally occurring nucleic acids. This review will shed light on various types of nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA (particularly microRNAs), their role and their application in biosensing. It will also cover DNA/RNA aptamers, which can be used as bioreceptors for a wide range of targets such as proteins, small molecules, bacteria and even cells. It will also highlight how the invention of synthetic oligonucleotides such as peptide nucleic acid (PNA) or locked nucleic acid (LNA) has pushed the limits of molecular biology and biosensor development to new perspectives. These technologies are very promising albeit still in need of development in order to bridge the gap between the laboratory-based status and the reality of biomedical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, U.K.
authors.forename: Pawan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jolly
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, U.K.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Estrela
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS16 1QY, U.K. michael.ladomery@uwe.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ladomery
mesh_terms: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D035683:MicroRNAs; D004247:DNA
keywords: aptamers; biosensing; locked nucleic acids; microRNAs; oligonucleotides; peptide nucleic acids