A Self-immolative Molecular Beacon for Amplified Nucleic Acid Detection*.

ABSTRACT: Fluorogenic hybridization probes allow the detection of RNA and DNA sequences in homogeneous solution. Typically, one target molecule activates the fluorescence of a single probe molecule. This limits the sensitivity of nucleic acid detection. Herein, we report a self-immolative molecular beacon (iMB) that escapes the one-target/one-probe paradigm. The iMB probe includes a photoreductively cleavable N-alkyl-picolinium (NAP) linkage within the loop region. A fluorophore at the 5'-end serves, on the one hand, as a reporter group and, on the other hand, as a photosensitizer of a NAP-linker cleavage reaction. In the absence of target, the iMB adopts a hairpin shape. Quencher groups prevent photo-induced cleavage. The iMB opens upon hybridization with a target, and both fluorescent emission as

SUBMITTER: Roth M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8597011 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature