Sensing DNA - DNA as nanosensor: a perspective towards nanobiotechnology

TL;DR

This paper explores the use of DNA as a nanosensor by employing single molecule techniques to detect local DNA properties and environmental conditions, advancing nanobiotechnology applications.

Contribution

It proposes novel experimental setups utilizing single molecule fluorescence to use DNA denaturation regions as sensitive nanoprobes for environmental sensing.

Findings

DNA can be used as a local sensor for solvent conditions

Single molecule fluorescence methods enable detection of DNA properties

Sensitive nanoprobes can be constructed with current instruments

Abstract

Based on modern single molecule techniques, we devise a number of possible experimental setups to probe local properties of DNA such as the presence of DNA-knots, loops or folds, or to obtain information on the DNA-sequence. Similarly, DNA may be used as a local sensor. Employing single molecule fluorescence methods, we propose to make use of the physics of DNA denaturation nanoregions to find out about the solvent conditions such as ionic strength, presence of binding proteins, etc. By measuring dynamical quantities in particular, rather sensitive nanoprobes may be constructed with contemporary instruments.