Hairpin DNA-functionalized gold nanorods for mRNA detection in homogenous solution.
We report a fluorescent probe for mRNA detection. It consists of a gold nanorod (GNR) functionalized with fluorophore-labeled hairpin oligonucleotides (hpDNA) that are complementary to the mRNA of a target gene. This nanoprobe was found to be sensitive to a complementary oligonucleotide, as indicated by significant changes in both fluorescence intensity and lifetime. The influence of the surface density of hpDNA on the performance of this nanoprobe was investigated, suggesting that high hybridization efficiency could be achieved at a relatively low surface loading density of hpDNA. However, steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy revealed better overall performance, in terms of sensitivity and detection range, for nanoprobes with higher hairpin coverage. Time-resolved fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy revealed significant lifetime changes of the fluorophore upon hybridization of hpDNA with targets, providing further insight on the hybridization kinetics of the probe as well as the quenching efficiency of GNRs.
University of Strathclyde, Photophysics Group, Center for Molecular Nanometrology, Department of Physics, SUPA, John Anderson Building, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 0NG, United KingdombBeihang University, Department of Physics, 37 Xuequan Road, Haidan, Beijing 100191, China.
Guoke
G
Wei
University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Royal College, 204 George Street, Glasgow G1 1XW, United Kingdom.
Jun
J
Yu
Beihang University, Department of Physics, 37 Xuequan Road, Haidan, Beijing 100191, China.
Jinliang
J
Wang
University of Strathclyde, Photophysics Group, Center for Molecular Nanometrology, Department of Physics, SUPA, John Anderson Building, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 0NG, United Kingdom.
Peng
P
Gu
University of Strathclyde, Photophysics Group, Center for Molecular Nanometrology, Department of Physics, SUPA, John Anderson Building, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 0NG, United Kingdom.
David J S
DJ
Birch
University of Strathclyde, Photophysics Group, Center for Molecular Nanometrology, Department of Physics, SUPA, John Anderson Building, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 0NG, United Kingdom.
Yu
Y
Chen
D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D055029:Inverted Repeat Sequences; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D006046:Gold; D004247:DNA