A plasmonic colorimetric strategy for visual miRNA detection based on hybridization chain reaction

• DOI: 10.1038/srep32219
• Publication Date: 2016-08-18T09:52:25Z
• Authors: Jie Miao; Jingsheng Wang; Jinyang Guo; Huiguang Gao; Kun Han; Chengmin Jiang; Peng Miao
• Keywords: Silver; DNA, Single-Stranded; Metal Nanoparticles; Nucleic Acid Hybridization; Reproducibility of Results; Surface Plasmon Resonance; 01 natural sciences; Article; 0104 chemical sciences; MicroRNAs; Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Limit of Detection; Humans; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Gold

AbstractIn this work, a novel colorimetric strategy for miRNA analysis is proposed based on hybridization chain reaction (HCR)-mediated localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) variation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). miRNA in the sample to be tested is able to release HCR initiator from a solid interface to AgNPs colloid system by toehold exchange-mediated strand displacement, which then triggers the consumption of fuel strands with single-stranded tails for HCR. The final produced long nicked double-stranded DNA loses the ability to protect AgNPs from salt-induced aggregation. The stability variation of the colloid system can then be monitored by recording corresponding UV-vis spectrum and initial miRNA level is thus determined. This sensing system involves only four DNA strands which is quite simple. The practical utility is confirmed to be excellent by employing different biological samples.