A Combinational Approach for More Efficient miRNA Biosensing

Abstract

A microRNAs, short single-stranded noncoding RNAs ranging in length from 18 ~ 24 bp, are found in all kingdoms of eukaryotes and even viruses. It was found that miRNAs got involved in a variety of biological phenomenon control and their intracellular aberrant expression was related to diseases and abnormalities in the immune system. Since then, it has been considered essential to develop an efficient miRNA detection system. In this review, the limitations of traditional scheme-based miRNA detection methods are compared and analyzed. In particular, nucleic acid amplification based miRNA detection methods and nanomaterial-based miRNA detection methods, which are widely used as a biosensing platform because of such features and advantages as high sensitivity, specificity, and simplicity were analyzed. Based on this analysis, the latest examples of combination of advantages of nucleic acid amplification and the features and advantages of nanomaterials are examined to suggest the characteristics of the next generation of miRNA biosensing.