© 2005 Oxford University Press
Highly sensitive genotyping using artificial riboregulator system
Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto university, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
A molecular-beacon-type riboregulator (mRNA) was applied to multiply catalytic gene sensing. It consists of a reporter gene for firefly protein luciferase and, upstream thereof, a regulator hairpin domain composed of an RBS/anti-RBS stem (RBS = ribosome binding site) and a loop which is complementary to the target. The sensing of target gene, using an unmodified RNA or even dsDNA as a probe with a chemiluminescence output, was demonstrated with a sensitivity at
50 fmol of the target and a single nucleotide resolution.