Application of DNA nanodevices for biosensing

Intelligent near-infrared light-activatable DNA machine with DNA wire nano-scaffold-integrated fast domino-like driving amplification for high-performance imaging in live biological samples

While there is significant potential for DNA machine-built enzyme-free fluorescence biosensors in the imaging analysis of live biological samples, they persist certain shortcomings. These encompass a deficiency of signal enrichment within a singular interface, uncontrolled premature activation during bio-delivery, and a slow reaction rate due to free nucleic acid collisions. In this contribution, we are committed to resolving the above challenges. Firstly, a single-interface-integrated domino-like driving amplification is constructed. In this conception, a specific target acts as the domino promotor (namely the energy source), initiating a cascading chain reaction that grafts onto a singular interface. Next, an 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) light-excited up-converting luminescence-induced light-activatable biosensing technique is introduced. By locking the target-specific identification segment with a photo-cleavage connector, the up-converted ultraviolet emission can activate target binding in a completely controlled manner. Moreover, a fast reaction rate is achieved by confining nucleic acid collisions within the surface of a DNA wire nano-scaffold, leading to a substantial enhancement in local contact concentration (30.8-fold increase, alongside a 15 times elevation in rate). When a non-coding microRNA (miRNA-221) is positioned as the model low-abundance target for proof-of-concept validation, our intelligent DNA machine demonstrates ultra-high sensitivity (with a limit of detection down to 62.65 fM) and good specificity for this hepatic malignant tumor-associated biomarker in solution detection. Going further, it is worth highlighting that the biosensing system can be employed to carry out high-performance imaging analysis in live bio-samples (ranging from the cellular level to the nude mouse body), thereby propelling the field of DNA machines in disease diagnosis.

Template-Assisted Assembly of Hybrid DNA/RNA Nanostructures Using Branched Oligodeoxy- and Oligoribonucleotides

A template-assisted assembly approach to a C24 fullerene-like double-stranded DNA polyhedral shell is proposed. The assembly employed a supramolecular oligonucleotide dendrimer as a 3D template that was obtained via the hybridization of siRNA strands and a single-stranded DNA oligonucleotide joined to three- or four-way branched junctions. A four-way branched oligonucleotide building block (a starlet) was designed for the assembly of the shell composed of three identical self-complementary DNA single strands and a single RNA strand for hybridization to the DNA oligonucleotides of the template. To prevent premature auto-hybridization of the self-complementary oligonucleotides in the starlet, a photolabile protecting group was introduced via the N3-substituted thymidine phosphoramidite. Cleavable linkers such as a disulfide linkage, RNase A sensitive triribonucleotides, and di- and trideoxynucleotides were incorporated into the starlet and template at specific points to guide the post-assembly disconnection of the shell from the template, and enzymatic disassembly of the template and the shell in biological media. At the same time, siRNA strands were modified with 2'-OMe ribonucleotides and phosphorothioate groups in certain positions to stabilize toward enzymatic digestion. We report herein a solid-phase synthesis of branched oligodeoxy and oligoribonucleotide building blocks for the DNA/RNA dendritic template and the branched DNA starlet for a template-assisted construction of a C24 fullerene-like DNA shell after initial molecular modeling, followed by the assembly of the shell around the DNA-coated RNA dendritic template, and visualization of the resulting nanostructure by transmission electron microscopy.

Designer, Programmable 3D DNA Nanodevices to Probe Biological Systems

DNA nanotechnology is a unique field that provides simple yet robust design techniques for self-assembling nanoarchitectures with extremely high potential for biomedical applications. Though the field began to exploit DNA to build various nanoscale structures, it has now taken a different path, diverging from the creation of complex structures to functional DNA nanodevices that explore various biological systems and mechanisms. Here, we present a brief overview of DNA nanotechnology, summarizing the key strategies for construction of various DNA nanodevices, with special focus on three-dimensional (3D) nanocages or polyhedras. We then discuss biological applications of 3D DNA nanocages, particularly tetrahedral DNA cages, in their ability to program and modulate cellular systems, in biosensing, and as tools for targeted therapeutics. We conclude with a final discussion on challenges and perspectives of 3D DNA nanodevices in biomedical applications.

A target-mediated fuel-initiated molecular machine for high-sensitive fluorescence assay of the ZIKV gene via strand displacement reaction-based signal recovery and cycling amplification

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a serious threat to human health due to its widespread human arboviral infections, and early diagnosis is one of the keys to preventing infections from spreading, but there is a lack of highly sensitive and specific detection. In this work, a target-mediated fuel-initiated molecular machine was proposed for the high-sensitive fluorescence assay of the ZIKV gene via strand displacement reaction-based signal recovery and cycling amplification. The molecular machine was prepared by modifying AuNP surfaces with specially designed lock-like DNAs (LLDs). The LLDs assembled with a hairpin DNA (H1) and a fluorescent aDNA can be opened under the trigger of the ZIKV gene and the strand displacement reactions are further initiated with the help of the DNA fuel (H2), which results in the release of the aDNAs and ZIKV genes from the AuNPs, causing the recovery of the fluorescence signal and the cyclic amplification of the gene. The target-mediated fuel-initiated molecular machines output an amplified fluorescence signal with the enhancement of 360%, and possess good sensitivity for detecting the ZIKV gene in serum with a linear calibration curve from 100 pM to 1 fM and a low limit of detection of 0.90 fM. The molecular machines can differentiate the ZIKV gene from the single base mismatched DNA obviously and show good recovery of ZIKV gene detection, which demonstrates the good specificity, reproducibility and reliability of the highly sensitive assay for the early detection of the virus.

Morphological and Mechanical Characterization of DNA SAMs Combining Nanolithography with AFM and Optical Methods

The morphological and mechanical properties of thiolated ssDNA films self-assembled at different ionic strength on flat gold surfaces have been investigated using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). AFM nanoshaving experiments, performed in hard tapping mode, allowed selectively removing molecules from micro-sized regions. To image the shaved areas, in addition to the soft contact mode, we explored the use of the Quantitative Imaging (QI) mode. QI is a less perturbative imaging mode that allows obtaining quantitative information on both sample topography and mechanical properties. AFM analysis showed that DNA SAMs assembled at high ionic strength are thicker and less deformable than films prepared at low ionic strength. In the case of thicker films, the difference between film and substrate Young’s moduli could be assessed from the analysis of QI data. The AFM finding of thicker and denser films was confirmed by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE) analysis. SE data allowed detecting the DNA UV absorption on dense monomolecular films. Moreover, feeding the SE analysis with the thickness data obtained by AFM, we could estimate the refractive index of dense DNA films.