Nucleic Acid Nanostructures for Chemical and Biological Sensing

Abstract

The nanoscale features of DNA have made it a useful molecule for bottom-up construction of nanomaterials, for example, two- and three-dimensional lattices, nanomachines, and nanodevices. One of the emerging applications of such DNA-based nanostructures is in chemical and biological sensing, where they have proven to be cost-effective, sensitive and have shown promise as point-of-care diagnostic tools. DNA is an ideal molecule for sensing not only because of its specificity but also because it is robust and can function under a broad range of biologically relevant temperatures and conditions. DNA nanostructure-based sensors provide biocompatibility and highly specific detection based on the molecular recognition properties of DNA. They can be used for the detection of single nucleotide polymorphism and to sense pH both in solution and in cells. They have also been used to detect clinically relevant tumor biomarkers. In this review, recent advances in DNA-based biosensors for pH, nucleic acids, tumor biomarkers and cancer cell detection are introduced. Some challenges that lie ahead for such biosensors to effectively compete with established technologies are also discussed.

Emerging applications of label-free optical biosensors

“…On the other hand, the peculiar properties of NA polymers, with unique versatility in terms of flexibility, shape tuning, and specific binding, make them an ideal toolbox to control molecular interactions, sensing environmental changes through conformational switches, or even for the assembly of nanostructures and triggers for signal amplification [56]. Therefore, depending on the application, NA can just take the role of the final target of the detection or they can also provide the molecular tool to perform the detection itself.…”

A Molecular Hero Suit for In Vitro and In Vivo DNA Nanostructures

“…One of their main uses is to create enzyme cascades, in which the reactivity of enzymes of interest was found to be higher when confined within nanostructures compared to those in free solution. Another important application is in biosensing, where DNA nanostructures are designed to undergo stimuli‐specific conformational changes and, therefore, provide specific outputs for target biomolecules present in a sample . Additionally, DNA origami structures can be designed in many desired 2D/3D shapes.…”

Engineering a responsive DNA triple helix into an octahedral DNA nanostructure for a reversible opening/closing switching mechanism: a computational and experimental integrated study

“…In order to achieve a reversible loading and release of a drug or a protein the DNA nanostructure should be functionalized with responsive elements that can undergo reversible input-induced conformational changes or confer a specific function to the, otherwise inert, structure. Different inputs can in principle be used in this regard such as small molecules, specific DNA sequences, pH, light or temperature ( 24 , 25 ). A DNA bipyramid with an opening mechanism triggered by UV-light has been described ( 26 ) and a similar approach has been proposed to induce an isothermal pH-induced disassembly of a tetrahedron through the reversible formation and dissociation of a triple helix ( 27 ).…”