Three-dimensional self-powered DNA walking machine based on catalyzed hairpin assembly energy transfer strategy

• Published in: Analytical biochemistry Vol. 639; p. 114529
• Main Authors: Fan, Hao, He, Yani, Shu, Qingxia, Wang, Xinru, Cui, Hanfeng, Hu, Yuping, Wei, Guobing, Dong, Huanhuan, Zhang, Jing, Hong, Nian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 15.02.2022
• Subjects: Catalysis; CHA; DNA - chemistry; DNA detection; DNA walker; Energy Transfer; Gold - chemistry; Live-cell imaging; Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry; Nanomachine; Nanotechnology - methods; Nucleic Acid Conformation; DNA detection; Live-cell imaging; CHA; DNA walker; Nanomachine
• ISSN: 0003-2697; 1096-0309
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2021.114529

Herein, catalyzed hairpin assembly is implemented as an automated strategy, which can respond in living cells to detect specific target DNA. Using the principle of catalyzed hairpin assembly (CHA), the auxiliary chain connects the fuel and starting chain to form a triple-stranded DNA to complete such a single system. Hundreds of single systems are modified on gold nanoparticles as DNA orbitals. Through the specific recognition of base complementation, the target DNA can realize the automatic walking of the three-dimensional fluorescence machine. This is a novel walking nanomachine that has a simple structure and can independently exist in cells to achieve automatic operation. [Display omitted] •A self-powered DNA fluorescence sensor based on catalytic hairpin structure was constructed.•Hairpin chain and fuel chain constitute an integrated inspection robot.•The method has been shown to work and image images in living cells.