We have combined molecular beacon (MB) probes with barcoded metal nanowires to enable nowash, sealed chamber, multiplexed detection of nucleic acids. Probe design and experimental parameters important in nanowire-based MB assays are discussed. Loop regions of 24 bases and 5 base pair stem regions in the beacon probes gave optimal performance. Our results suggest that thermodynamic predictions for secondary structure stability of solution-phase MB can guide probe design for nanowire-based assays. Dengue virus-specific probes with predicted solution-phase ΔG of folding in 500 mM buffered NaCl of approximately −4 kcal/mol performed better than those with ΔG > −2 or < −6 kcal/mol. Buffered 300-500 mM NaCl was selected after comparison of several buffers previously reported for similar types of assays, and 200-500 mM NaCl was found to be the optimal ionic strength for the hybridization temperatures (25 and 50 °C) and probe designs used here. Target binding to the surface as a function of solution concentration fit a Sips isotherm with K d = 1.7 ± 0.3 nM. The detection limit was ∼100 pM, limited by incomplete quenching. Single base mismatches could be discriminated from fully complementary targets. Oligonucleotide target sequences specific for human immunodeficiency, hepatitis C, and severe acute respiratory viruses were assayed simultaneously in a no-wash, sealed chamber, multiplexed experiment in which each of three probe sequences was attached to a different pattern of encoded nanowires. Finally, we demonstrated that probe-coated nanowires retain their selectivity and sensitivity in a triplexed assay after storage for over 3 months.

When fluorescently tagged oligonucleotides are located near metal surfaces, their emission intensity is impacted by both electromagnetic effects (i.e., quenching and/or enhancement of emission) and the structure of the nucleic acids (e.g., random coil, hairpin, or duplex). We present experiments exploring the effect of label position and secondary structure in oligonucleotide probes as a function of hybridization buffer, which impacts the percentage of double-stranded probes on the surface after exposure to complementary DNA. Nanowires containing identifiable patterns of Au and Ag segments were used as the metal substrates in this work, which enabled us to directly compare different dye positions in a single multiplexed experiment and differences in emission for probes attached to the two metals. The observed metal-dye separation dependence for unstructured surface-bound oligonucleotides is highly sensitive to hybridization efficiency, due to substantial changes in DNA extension from the surface upon hybridization. In contrast, fluorophore labeled oligonucleotides designed to form hairpin secondary structures analogous to solution-phase molecular beacon probes are relatively insensitive to hybridization efficiency, since the folded form is quenched and therefore does not appreciably impact the observed distance-dependence of the response. Differences in fluorescence patterning on Au and Ag were noted as a function of not only chromophore identity but also metal-dye separation. For example, emission intensity for TAMRA-labeled oligonucleotides changed from brighter on Ag for 24-base probes to brighter on Au for 48-base probes. We also observed fluorescence enhancement at the ends of nanowires and at surface defects where heightened electromagnetic fields affect the fluorescence.

In this paper we describe a molecular beacon format assay in which encoded nanowire particles are used to achieve multiplexing. We demonstrate this principle with the detection of five viral pathogens; Hepatitis A virus, Hepatitis C virus, West Nile Virus, Human Immune Deficiency virus and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus. Oligonucleotides are designed complementary to a target sequence of interest containing a 3′ universal fluorescence dye. A 5′ thiol causes the oligonucleotides to self-assemble onto the metal nanowire. The single-stranded oligonucleotide contains a self-complementary hairpin stem sequence of 10 bases that forces the 3′ fluorophore to come into contact with the metallic nanowire surface, thereby quenching the fluorescence. Upon addition of target DNA, there is hybridization with the complementary oligonucleotides. The resulting DNA hybrid is rigid, unfolds the hairpin structure, and causes the fluorophore to be moved away from the surface such that it is no longer quenched. By using differently encoded nanowires, each conjugated with a different oligonucleotide sequence, multiplexed DNA assays are possible using a single fluorophore, from a multiplexed RT-PCR reaction.(Nanobiotechnology

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Striped metallic nanowires (NW) have been coated with a silica shell of controllable thickness (6-150 nm), and the assay performance of coated vs uncoated NW has been compared. The silica coating does not interfere with identification of the metal striping pattern and protects Ag segments from oxidation, extending the range of assay conditions under which barcoded NW can be used. Much higher and more uniform fluorescence intensities were observed for dye-labeled ssDNA bound to SiO2-coated as compared to intensities for uncoated NW. Simultaneous, multiplexed DNA hybridization assays for three pathogen-specific target sequences on SiO2-coated NW showed good discrimination of complementary from noncomplementary targets. Application of SiO2-coated NW in discrimination of single base mismatches corresponding to a mutation of the p53 gene was also demonstrated. Finally, we have shown that thiolated probe DNA resists desorption under thermocycling conditions if attached via siloxane chemistry to SiO2-coated NW, but not if it is attached via direct adsorption to bare Au/Ag NW.