Quantum scale organic semiconductors for SERS detection of DNA methylation and gene expression.

ABSTRACT: Cancer stem cells (CSC) can be identified by modifications in their genomic DNA. Here, we report a concept of precisely shrinking an organic semiconductor surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) probe to quantum size, for investigating the epigenetic profile of CSC. The probe is used for tag-free genomic DNA detection, an approach towards the advancement of single-molecule DNA detection. The sensor detected structural, molecular and gene expression aberrations of genomic DNA in femtomolar concentration simultaneously in a single test. In addition to pointing out the divergences in genomic DNA of cancerous and non-cancerous cells, the quantum scale organic semiconductor was able to trace the expression of two genes which are frequently used as CSC markers. The quantum scale organic semicon

SUBMITTER: Ganesh S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7048788 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature