Reversible molecular switching of molecular beacon: controlling DNA hybridization kinetics and thermodynamics using mercury(ii) ions

Ronghua Yang; Jianyu Jin; Liping Long; Yongxiang Wang; Hao Wang; Weihong Tan

doi:10.1039/b816638b

Reversible molecular switching of molecular beacon: controlling DNA hybridization kinetics and thermodynamics using mercury(ii) ions

Chem Commun (Camb). 2009 Jan 21:(3):322-4. doi: 10.1039/b816638b. Epub 2008 Nov 20.

Authors

Ronghua Yang¹, Jianyu Jin, Liping Long, Yongxiang Wang, Hao Wang, Weihong Tan

Affiliation

¹ State Key Lab of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, Biomedical Engineering Center, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsa, 410082, China. Yangrh@pku.edu.cn

PMID: 19209316
DOI: 10.1039/b816638b

Abstract

We report that the hydrogen-bonding pattern in a molecular beacon can be replaced by metal-dependent pairs of Hg(2+) and DNA thymine (T) bases. A molecular beacon based on T-Hg(2+)-T exhibits a lower background signal and higher thermostability than regular molecular beacons.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Base Sequence
DNA Probes / chemistry*
Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
Kinetics
Mercury / chemistry*
Nucleic Acid Hybridization / methods*
Thermodynamics
Thymine / chemistry*

Substances

DNA Probes
Fluorescent Dyes
Mercury
Thymine