Aarhus University Seal

news item

PAPER: Enzyme-free colorimetric detection systems based on the DNA strand displacement competition reaction

Screenshot of the article "Enzyme-free colorimetric detection systems based on the DNA strand displacement competition reaction" published in the New Journal of Physics

New J. Phys., 2016, doi:10.1088/1367-2630/18/5/055002

Zhang, Z., Birkedal, V., Gothelf, K. V. 

Department of Chemistry and iNANO, Center for DNA Nanotechnology, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark

Abstract

The strand displacement competition assay is based on the dynamic equilibrium of the competitive hybridization of two oligonucleotides (A and B) to a third oligonucleotide (S). In the presence of an analyte that binds to a specific affinity-moiety conjugated to strand B, the equilibrium shifts, which can be detected by a shift in the fluorescence resonance energy transfer signal between dyes attached to the DNA strands. In the present study we have integrated an ATP aptamer in the strand B and demonstrated the optical detection of ATP. Furthermore we explore a new readout method using a split G-quadruplex DNAzyme for colorimetric readout of the detection of streptavidin by the naked eye. Finally, we integrate the whole G-quadruplex DNAzyme system in a single DNA strand and show that it is applicable to colorimetric detection.