Gold-Coated Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles for Single Methyl Discrimination in DNA Aptamers.

ABSTRACT: Au- and iron-based magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) are promising NPs for biomedical applications due to their unique properties. The combination of a gold coating over a magnetic core puts together the benefits from adding the magnetic properties to the robust chemistry provided by the thiol functionalization of gold. Here, the use of Au-coated magnetic NPs for molecular detection of a single methylation in DNA aptamer is described. Binding of α-thrombin to two aptamers conjugated to these NPs causes aggregation, a phenomenon that can be observed by UV, DLS and MRI. These techniques discriminate a single methylation in one of the aptamers, preventing aggregation due to the inability of α-thrombin to recognize it. A parallel study with gold and ferromagnetic NPs is detailed, concluding that th

SUBMITTER: Tintore M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4661904 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature