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Title: Detection of MicroRNA Expression Dynamics Using LNA/DNA Nanobiosensor
The investigation of complex biological processes requires effective tools for probing the spatiotemporal dynamics of individual cells. Single-cell gene expression analysis, such as RNA in situ hybridization and single-cell PCR, has been demonstrated in various biological applications (Tautz and Pfeifle, Chromosoma 98(2):81–5, 1989; Stahlberg and Bengtsson, Methods 50(4):282–288, 2010; Sanchez-Freire et al., Nat Protoc 7(5):829–838, 2012). However, existing techniques require cell lysis or fixation. The dynamic information and spatiotemporal regulation of the biological process cannot be obtained with these methods. Real-time gene expression analysis in living cells remains an outstanding challenge in the field. Here, we described a single-cell gene expression analysis method in living mammalian cells using a locked nucleic acid/DNA (LNA/DNA) nanobiosensor. This LNA/DNA nanobiosensor consists of a fluorophore-labeled detecting strand and a quenching strand. The fluorophore-labeled LNA probe is designed to hybridize with the target microRNA (miRNA) specifically and displace from the quenching strand, allowing the fluorophore to fluorescence. Large-scale single-cell dynamic gene expression monitoring can be performed using time-lapse microscopy to study spatiotemporal distribution and heterogeneity in gene expression. Multiplex detection of miRNAs can be achieved using different fluorophore-labeled LNA/DNA nanobiosensors. This LNA/DNA protocol is fast, generally applicable, and easily accessible.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2143151
PAR ID:
10394652
Author(s) / Creator(s):
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Methods in molecular biology
Volume:
2630
ISSN:
1940-6029
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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