Molecular Beacons of Xeno-Nucleic Acid for Detecting Nucleic Acid

Abstract

Molecular beacons (MBs) of DNA and RNA have aroused increasing interest because they allow a continuous readout, excellent spatial and temporal resolution to observe in real time. This kind of dual-labeled oligonucleotide probes can differentiate between bound and unbound DNA/RNA in homogenous hybridization with a high signal-to-background ratio in living cells. This review briefly summarizes the different unnatural sugar backbones of oligonucleotides combined with fluorophores that have been employed to sense DNA/RNA. With different probes, we epitomize the fundamental understanding of driving forces and these recognition processes. Moreover, we will introduce a few novel and attractive emerging applications and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. We also highlight several perspective probes in the application of cancer therapeutics.

High-throughput Quantitative Real-time RT-PCR Assay for Determining Expression Profiles of Types I and III Interferon Subtypes

“…This method involves two key aspects, the design of Pr/Pb sets that discriminate between members of a homologous gene family and the development of a production platform for the creation of reliable and consistent 384-well assay plates preloaded with the Pr/Pb sets. The qRT-PCR probes incorporate a structural (MB) or chemical (LNA) approach towards enhancing their specificity 29 . For two of the primer sets in the rhesus assay (Table 2), the amplification-refractory mutation system (ARMS) was incorporated into the primer sequences to further enhance specificity 30 .…”

Synthetic genetic polymers: advances and applications

“…Experimental observations have confirmed that LNA has an extraordinarily enhanced thermal stability, high affinity, low toxicity, improved triplex formation, and nuclease resistance. [152][153][154] LNA probes also show good sensitivity and they are commonly considered for the improvement of the sensitivity of detection. 155 LNA probes have been used for simple and specific DNA detection of chronic myeloid leukemia and acute promyelocytic leukemia.…”

Recent advances in peptide nucleic acid for cancer bionanotechnology

“…The unnatural backbone of PNAs makes them resistant to both nucleases and proteases [7] . Based on the excellent chemical and biological stability of PNAs, there is a growing interest in PNAs as gene therapy drugs, diagnostic reagents and molecular beacons [8][9][10] . In this review, we summarize the current research on PNA bionanotechnology in cancer treatment and its limitations.…”