Based on graphene oxide-protected DNA probes, we have developed a cyclic enzymatic amplification method for sensitive miRNA detection in complex biological samples. By using the quenching nature of graphene oxide for multiple fluorophores, this method can distinguish highly similar miRNA sequences and detect them simultaneously.

DNA aptamer-modified gold nanoparticles that act as a molecular carrier through a nanopore sensor facilitate the selective detection of target proteins in mixed analyte populations with enhanced signal-to-noise ratio and event rate.

Based on backbone-modified molecular beacons and duplex-specific nuclease, we have developed a target recycling amplification method for highly sensitive and selective miRNA detection. The combination of a low fluorescence background of 2-OMe-RNA modified MB and nuclease-assisted signal amplification leads to ultrahigh assay sensitivity, and the powerful discriminating ability of MB enables the differentiation of highly similar miRNAs with one-base difference, both of which are of great significance to miRNA detection.

RNA probes constitute an important class of functional nucleic acids (FNAs). However, because of their notorious vulnerability to enzymatic degradation, extremely careful and special protocols must be followed when dealing with RNA probes. To fully use the large number of RNA FNAs available for bioanalysis and biomedicine, it is important to explore effective methods to protect RNA probes from enzymatic digestion. In this work, we systematically demonstrate that graphene oxide (GO) can effectively protect RNA probes from enzymatic digestion. Based on this finding, we propose an effective way to design robust RNA biosensors by simply mixing RNA probes with GO for analysis of nucleic acids, proteins, and small molecules. The entire assay is sensitive, selective, rapid, and more importantly, does not require any special protocols. The ability to protect ssRNA from enzymatic digestion by GO offers an exciting new way to stabilize ssRNA, which will not only provide new opportunities to utilize the large number of currently available, yet rarely explored, RNA FNAs for bioanalysis but also offer a new solution to protect important ssRNA molecules, such as microRNA and antisense ssRNA, for a great variety of biomedical applications.

Nanopipettes were used for real-time investigation into actin dynamics and drug binding at single-molecule resolution, showing promise for a better understanding of the mechanism of protein–protein interactions and drug discovery.