Title
Multidimensional Tunability of Nucleic Acids Enables Sensing over Unknown Backgrounds
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-19-2019
Abstract
A longstanding challenge in quantitative analysis is the relationship between a sensor's dynamic range and a background: the response range must align with the target's background value. If this condition is not met, a reliable measurement is impossible. The requirement is especially critical for sensing systems displaying sharp responses. In this work, we have solved the problem of response range/background misalignment via design of sensing systems that adjust their response to actual unknown backgrounds. The sensing systems are based on nucleic acid scaffolds: due to an intrinsic trait of multidimensional tunability, the sensors can assess the actual background and adjust response range accordingly. We established a general methodology and demonstrated, as a proof-of-concept, a practically meaningful example of detecting very small changes in proton concentrations over unknown aqueous backgrounds using a DNA i-motif sensor. Owing to multidimensional tunability of a DNA i-motif, this sensor could reliably measure changes in proton concentration that are 3 orders of magnitude below currently available methodologies.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Analytical chemistry
First Page
14275
Last Page
14280
Recommended Citation
LaCasse, Z., Briscoe, J. R., Nesterov, E. E., & Nesterova, I. V. (2019). Multidimensional Tunability of Nucleic Acids Enables Sensing over Unknown Backgrounds. Analytical chemistry, 91 (22), 14275-14280. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.9b02420
