基于免标记发夹型探针和核酸外切酶Ⅲ的荧光信号放大DNA检测

设计合成了一种长臂发夹型核酸探针,结合核酸外切酶Ⅲ水解反应建立了一种免标记荧光信号放大高灵敏检测DNA的新方法.当不存在靶DNA时,SYBR GreenⅠ荧光染料能够嵌入发夹型探针的茎部而发出很强的荧光,而当存在靶DNA并与发夹型探针杂交后,核酸外切酶Ⅲ从杂交产物的3'端开始水解发夹型探针,释放出靶DNA,并触发下一个酶水解反应,同时SYBR GreenⅠ染料也随发夹型探针水解而释放,导致荧光信号降低,从而实现了对DNA的免标记荧光信号放大高灵敏检测.该方法的检出限低至320 fmol/L,比传统双标的分子信标的方法降低了4~5个数量级,且该方法还具有免标记、简单、快速的特点.     

芘二聚体发夹探针用于细胞DNA单链断裂修复能力的评估

基于芘分子二聚体的荧光特性设计了一种新型的发夹探针,用于评估不同细胞的单链断裂修复(SSBR)能力.首先利用芘荧光分子设计一个茎上有缺口的DNA发夹探针,该探针在Bst DNA聚合酶作用下可以水解,使荧光信号“关闭”.如果探针茎上的缺口被DNA修复酶修复,可以阻止Bst DNA聚合酶对探针的消化作用,从而阻止荧光信号的“关闭”.该设计可以用于评估细胞的SSBR能力,并通过提取细胞的核蛋白考察了不同细胞的SSBR能力.研究结果表明,肿瘤细胞及细胞系不具有原代细胞的SSBR能力.利用SSBR的关键酶进一步探索了肿瘤细胞SSBR能力缺失的原因,证明是由于肿瘤细胞中含有可以抑制SSBR过程的活性物质.此外,该方法能够同时进行500个细胞的SSBR能力检测,并用于抗衰老药物筛选.     

基于链置换循环无标记检测端立酶RNA的荧光法

以氧化石墨烯(GO)作为DNA载体和荧光猝灭剂,SYBRGreen Ⅰ(SGⅠ)为荧光信号探针,发夹核酸探针为分子识别探针,基于目标物启动的发夹核酸探针链置换循环反应,建立了一种利用荧光共振能量转移和链置换循环放大技术检测端粒酶RNA (hTR)的荧光新方法.发夹核酸探针hpDNA1和hpDNA2吸附在GO表面,嵌插在发夹DNA探针茎部的SG Ⅰ的荧光信号被GO猝灭.当人工合成的目标物(T1)存在时,T1与hpDNA1杂交打开hpDNA1的茎-环结构而引发hpDNA2与T1之间的链置换循环反应,由此累积产生大量的hpDNA1/hpDNA2杂交双链.刚性的双链DNA脱离GO表面,导致所嵌插的SG Ⅰ产生较强的荧光信号.基于荧光信号的变化,可定量检测0.2～50 nmoL/L的T1,检出限为90 pmol/L.该方法为端粒酶RNA检测提供了一种高灵敏、高特异性且无需标记的荧光新途径.     

基于链置换循环无标记检测端粒酶RNA的荧光法

以氧化石墨烯(GO)作为DNA载体和荧光猝灭剂, SYBR Green Ⅰ(SGⅠ)为荧光信号探针, 发夹核酸探针为分子识别探针, 基于目标物启动的发夹核酸探针链置换循环反应, 建立了一种利用荧光共振能量转移和链置换循环放大技术检测端粒酶RNA(hTR)的荧光新方法. 发夹核酸探针hpDNA1和hpDNA2吸附在GO表面, 嵌插在发夹DNA探针茎部的SGⅠ的荧光信号被GO猝灭. 当人工合成的目标物(T1)存在时, T1与hpDNA1杂交打开hpDNA1的茎-环结构而引发hpDNA2与T1之间的链置换循环反应, 由此累积产生大量的hpDNA1/hpDNA2杂交双链. 刚性的双链DNA脱离GO表面, 导致所嵌插的SGⅠ产生较强的荧光信号. 基于荧光信号的变化, 可定量检测0.2~50 nmol/L的T1, 检出限为90 pmol/L. 该方法为端粒酶RNA检测提供了一种高灵敏、 高特异性且无需标记的荧光新途径.     

双链特异性核酸酶介导的高灵敏度microRNA分析

基于氧化石墨烯(GO)对荧光标记单链DNA探针的荧光猝灭效应以及双链特异性核酸酶(DSN)选择性切割DNA/RNA杂合结构中DNA单链的特性,本文建立了一种新型恒温信号放大方法用于microRNA(miRNA)的高灵敏度检测.靶标miRNA首先与荧光DNA探针杂交,DSN能够特异性地将杂合双链中的DNA探针水解为碎片但不会降解miRNA,GO对酶切产生的寡核苷酸碎片吸附能力显著降低,使得荧光基团远离GO表面而不被猝灭.释放出的miRNA可再次发生与荧光DNA探针杂交、DSN酶切等反应,如此反复,可实现恒温条件下一个miRNA分子与多个探针杂交、酶切、释放荧光基团的循环过程,最终体系的荧光信号得到显著放大,通过记录体系的荧光信号即可实现对靶标miRNA的灵敏检测.     

基于阳离子荧光共轭聚合物和核酸适体探针的蛋白质检测新方法

以核酸适体为识别分子, 阳离子荧光共轭聚合物为报告分子, 建立了一种蛋白质检测新方法. 修饰有荧光熄灭基团的核酸适体探针通过静电作用与阳离子荧光共轭聚合物结合, 导致后者荧光熄灭. 当加入靶蛋白后, 核酸适体探针与其特异性结合, 荧光熄灭基团与阳离子荧光共轭聚合物远离, 聚合物荧光信号得以恢复. 实验结果表明, 荧光恢复程度与靶蛋白的浓度正相关. 采用该方法检测凝血酶的线性范围为17～40 nmol/L.     

基于T-Hg2+-T及G四聚体自身熄灭能力的“Turnon”型单标记DNA荧光探针用于碘离子的检测

利用G四聚体可以熄灭荧光的特性以及T-Hg2+-T的特殊结构, 发展了一种简便的"Turn on"型碘离子检测新方法. 设计了一条5'端标有荧光基团的富T序列, 3'端采用能形成G四聚体的富G序列代替传统的熄灭基团. 加入汞离子后, 富T序列形成T-Hg2+-T机构发生折叠, G四聚体靠近荧光基团, 发生光诱导电子转移, 使荧光被熄灭. 若加入碘离子, 碘离子会与汞离子形成较稳定的配合物, 汞离子从DNA上被竞争下来, 探针的荧光得以恢复, 且荧光强度与50～500 nmol/L的碘离子呈良好线性关系, 检出限为30 nmol/L. 本方法选择性好, 10倍于碘离子浓度的其它常见阴离子干扰较小. 检测自来水样中碘离子的回收率为92%～109%, 相对标准偏差RSD<4%(n=4).     

基于生物条形码与酶切放大的ATP荧光检测新方法

建立了基于纳米金生物条形码和酶切循环放大技术的荧光传感器用于高灵敏、高选择性检测ATP。通过ATP与核酸适体的特异性识别作用,将修饰有大量信号探针的纳米金条形码捕获到磁性微球表面。与释放的信号探针杂交后,分子信标的发卡结构被打开,荧光恢复。结合酶切技术使信号探针循环利用,显著增强荧光信号。在1~30 nmol/L范围内,ATP浓度与荧光信号呈良好的线性关系,检出限为0.5 nmol/L。用于细胞裂解液中ATP的测定,结果与HPLC方法接近。     

基于链替代信号放大灵敏检测端粒酶活性的电化学方法

利用标记二茂铁基团的DNA(T-DNA)分子作为信号探针, 基于端粒酶特异性延长其底物链(TS)所引发的链替代反应, 建立了一种检测端粒酶活性的电化学信号放大法. 将巯基化的发夹型DNA分子(H-DNA)通过金-硫键自组装于金电极表面, 辅助DNA(A-DNA)与二茂铁修饰的T-DNA部分互补杂交形成双链AT-DNA; 当端粒酶存在时, 可在TS的3′末端合成TTAGGG的重复序列; A-DNA与TS延长链杂交置换出T-DNA; T-DNA与发夹H-DNA杂交使得二茂铁靠近电极表面; 一条TS延长链可以释放出多条T-DNA, 将二茂铁富集到金电极表面, 从而实现信号放大检测端粒酶活性. HeLa细胞个数在5~100范围内与电流值成正比, 最低可检测5个HeLa细胞中端粒酶的活性. 因此, 本文建立了一种简单灵敏检测端粒酶活性的电化学方法.     

基于切刻内切酶信号放大的电致化学发光DNA生物传感器的研究

利用切刻内切酶的酶切作用实现信号放大,结合量子点高效的电化学发光性能,构建了一种新型电化学发光DNA生物传感器.将捕获探针DNA(c-DNA)通过自组装的方式固定到金电极表面,后与目标DNA(t-DNA)互补杂交形成双链DNA,利用切刻内切酶Nt.BstNBI特异性识别双链上的酶切位点(5'-GAGTC-3'),然后在c-DNA相应的切割位点(识别序列3'端后的4个碱基处)对其进行剪切,释放出目标链,参与下一轮的杂交及酶切,通过目标物的循环利用,实现信号放大.利用N-羟基琥珀酰亚胺(N HS)和1-乙基-3-3-二甲基氨丙基碳化二亚胺(EDC)活化羧基化CdTe量子点表面的羧基,与电极表面残留的c-DNA末端的氨基共价交联,通过测定捕获的量子点的电化学发光信号对目标DNA进行检测.优化后的检测条件为:c-DNA浓度1 μmol/L,杂交时间60 min,Nt.BstNBI浓度0.5 U/μL,酶切反应时间4h.在优化条件下,目标DNA浓度在2.0×10-13～2.0×10-11 mol/L范围内,其对数与电化学发光强度呈线性关系,检出限为7.3×10-14 mol/L.人体血样加标回收率为96.4％～108.0％.     

Sensitive detection of DNA methyltransferase activity based on rolling circle amplification technology

This work develops a fluorescence approach for sensitive detection of DNA methyltransferase activity based on endonuclease and rolling circle amplification （RCA） technique. In the presence of DNA adenine methylation （Dam） MTase, the methylation-responsive sequence of hairpin probe is methylated and cleaved by the methylation-sensitive restriction endonuclease Dpn 1. The products cleaved by restriction endonuclease Dpn I then function as a signal primer to initiate RCA reaction by hybridizing with the circular DNA template. Each RCA product containing thousands of repeated sequences might hybridize with a large number of molecular beacons （detection probes）, resulting in an enhanced fluorescence signal. In the absence of Dam MTase, neither methylation/cleavage nor RCA reaction can be initiated and no fluorescence signal is observed. The proposed method exhibits a dynamic range from 0.5 U/mL to 30 U/mL and a detection limit of 0.18 U/mL. This method can be used for the screening of antimicrobial drugs and has a great potential to be further applied in early clinical diagnosis.     

Sensitive detection of DNA methyltransferase activity based on supercharged fluorescent protein and template-free DNA polymerization

DNA methylation, catalyzed by DNA methyltransferases(MTases), is a key component of genetic regulation, and DNA MTases have been regarded as potential targets in anticancer therapy. Herein, based on our previously developed DNA-mediated supercharged green fluorescent protein(Sc GFP)/graphene oxide(GO) interaction, coupled with methylation-initiated template-free DNA polymerization, we propose a novel fluorescence assay strategy for sensitive detection of DNA MTase activity. A hairpin DNA with a methylation-sensitive site and an amino-modified 3′-terminal(DNA-1) was designed and worked as a starting molecule. In the presence of DNA MTase, methylation-sensitive restriction endonuclease, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase(Td T), DNA-1 can be sequentially methylated, cleaved, and further elongated. The resulting long DNA fragments quickly bind with Sc GFP and form the Sc GFP/DNA nanocomplex. Such nanocomplex can effectively protect Sc GFP from being adsorbed and quenched by GO. Without the methylation-initiated DNA polymerization, the fluorescence of Sc GFP will be quenched by GO. Thus, the DNA MTase activity, which is proportional to the amount of DNA polymerization products, can be measured by reading the fluorescence of Sc GFP/GO. The method was successfully used to detect the activity of DNA adenine methylation(Dam) MTase with a wide linear range(0.1–100 U/m L) and a low detection limit of 0.1 U/m L. In addition, the method showed high selectivity and the potential to be applied in a complex sample. Furthermore, this study was successfully extended to evaluate the inhibition effect of 5-fluorouracil on Dam MTase activity and detect Td T activity.     

A microchip electrophoretic assay for DNA methyltransferase activity based on methylation‐sensitive endonuclease DpnⅡ

DNA methylation is a significant epigenetic modification and the methods for the detection of DNA methyltransferase (MTase) activity are important due to aberrant methylation closely related to the occurrence of cancer. In this study, a simple and rapid microchip electrophoresis (ME) coupled with LED‐induced fluorescence (LEDIF) method was presented for the detection of Dam MTase activity. This strategy was based on methylation‐sensitive endonuclease DpnⅡ which could recognize the same specific site 5′‐GATC‐3′ with Dam MTase in double‐stranded DNA (dsDNA). The adenines in the specific site could be methylated by Dam MTase, then the special site could not be digested by DpnⅡ. Both methylated dsDNA and unmethylated dsDNA could be analyzed by ME‐LEDIF after stained by SYBR gold. The results showed the fluorescence intensities of methylated dsDNA were directly proportional to Dam MTase activities in the range of 0.5–20 U/mL with a detection limit of 0.12 U/mL. Furthermore, the method could successfully be applied to evaluation experiments of Dam MTase inhibitors. The results confirmed the ME‐LEDIF method is a promising approach for inhibitors screening of DNA MTase and development of anticancer drugs     

An in vitro screening method for DNA cytosine-C5-methylase inhibitor

A specific inhibitor of DNA cytosine C5-methylases would be useful for studying genomic imprinting, X-chromosome inactivation, carcinogenesis, and regulation of tissue-specific gene expression, for these physiological phenomena appears to be regulated through DNA methylation in promoter sequences. This paper reports a novel convenient in vitro assay method for screening DNA cytosine C5-methylase inhibitor. Our method uses a commercially available Hae III methylase (cytosine C5 methylase), its corresponding Hae III endonuclease, and lambda DNA as their substrate.     

Electrochemical strategy for sensing DNA methylation and DNA methyltransferase activity

The present work demonstrates a novel signal-off electrochemical method for the determination of DNA methylation and the assay of methyltransferase activity using the electroactive complex [Ru(NH₃)₆]³⁺ (RuHex) as a signal transducer. The assay exploits the electrostatic interactions between RuHex and DNA strands. Thiolated single strand DNA1 was firstly self-assembled on a gold electrode via Au–S bonding, followed by hybridization with single strand DNA2 to form double strand DNA containing specific recognition sequence of DNA adenine methylation MTase and methylation-responsive restriction endonuclease Dpn I. The double strand DNA may adsorb lots of electrochemical species ([Ru(NH₃)₆]³⁺) via the electrostatic interaction, thus resulting in a high electrochemical signal. In the presence of DNA adenine methylation methyltransferase and S-adenosyl-l-methionine, the formed double strand DNA was methylated by DNA adenine methylation methyltransferase, then the double strand DNA can be cleaved by methylation-responsive restriction endonuclease Dpn I, leading to the dissociation of a large amount of signaling probes from the electrode. As a result, the adsorption amount of RuHex reduced, resulting in a decrease in electrochemical signal. Thus, a sensitive electrochemical method for detection of DNA methylation is proposed. The proposed method yielded a linear response to concentration of Dam MTase ranging from 0.25 to 10 U mL⁻¹ with a detection limit of 0.18 U mL⁻¹ (S/N = 3), which might promise this method as a good candidate for monitoring DNA methylation in the future.     

Target-mediated consecutive endonuclease reactions for specific and sensitive homogeneous fluorescence assay of O-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase

O⁶-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is one of the most important DNA-repair enzymes. Herein, a simple, sensitive and selective homogeneous fluorescence assay strategy is developed for the detection of MGMT on the basis of target-mediated two consecutive endonuclease reactions. The activity assay of MGMT is firstly accomplished using a hairpin-structured DNA substrate to offer a specific recognition site on the substrate DNA for restriction endonuclease PvuII, and thus to initiate the first endonuclease reaction. The product which activates the second endonuclease reaction allows an efficient amplification approach to create an abundance of fluorescence signal reporters. The first endonuclease reaction offers the method high specificity and the second one furnishes the assay improved sensitivity. The results reveal that the MGMT assay strategy shows dynamic responses in the concentration range from 1 to 120 ng mL⁻¹ with a detection limit of 0.5 ng mL⁻¹. By simply altering the alkylated bases, this strategy can also be extended for the detection of other alkyltransferases. Therefore, the developed strategy might provide an intrinsically convenient, sensitive and specific platform for alkyltransferase activate assay and related biochemical studies due to its label-free, homogeneous, and fluorescence-based detection format.     

Real-time monitoring of double-stranded DNA cleavage using molecular beacons

Traditional methods to assay enzymatic cleavage of DNA are discontinuous, time-consuming and laborious. Here, we report a new approach for real-time monitoring of double-stranded DNA cleavage by restriction endonuclease based on nucleic acid ligation using molecular beacon. Upon cleavage of DNA, the cleavage product can be ligated by DNA ligase, which results in a fluorescence enhancement of the molecular beacon. This method permits real-time monitoring of DNA cleavage and makes it easy to characterize the activity of restriction endonuclease and to study the cleavage reaction kinetics.     

Investigation of DNA-protein sequence-specific interactions with a ds-DNA array

The sequence specific recognitions between DNAs and proteins play important roles in many biological functions. The use of double-stranded DNA arrays (ds-DNA arrays) for studying sequence specific recognition between DNAs and proteins is a promising method. Here we report the use of a ds-DNA probe with multi operation sites of restriction proteins in the middle sequence to investigate DNA-protein sequence-specific interactions including methylation. We arranged EcoR I site and Rsa I site on the same duplex DNA probe to fabricate ds-DNA arrays. We used the ds-DNA arrays to study DNA-restriction enzyme reactions before and after duplex DNA methylation under different probe concentration and reaction time conditions. Our results indicated that the ds-DNA arrays can be further biochemically modified and made accessible for interactions between DNAs and proteins in complex multi-step gene-regulation processes.