Scientists use DNA for the first time to make nanosensors

Recently, according to the report of the American Physicist Organization Network, the United States and Italian scientists have cooperated for the first time using human DNA (DNA) molecules to create nano-biosensors that can rapidly detect the activity of thousands of different transcription factor proteins. It is expected to be used for personalized cancer treatment and to monitor transcription factor activity.

The transcription factor is the master switch of life and controls the fate of human cells. The role of the transcription factor is to read the genome and translate it into instructions that guide the synthesis of the molecules that make up and control the cells. It is a bit like the “setting key” of the cell. The main job of the new sensor is to read these settings.

The basis of the new technology is the results of the scientists’ research on the intracellular natural biosensors. Francisco Ritchie, the third University of Rome who participated in the study, stated that all the information on the detection of transcription factor activity has been integrated into the genome, and when in the stimulated state, these thousands of different transcription factors will attach to specific In the target DNA sequence, therefore, a new nanosensor can be constructed using these sequences as a starting point.

From bacteria to humans, all organisms use the "biomolecule switch" (molecules that are made of RNA or proteins that can change shape) to monitor the environment. The attraction of these "molecular switches" is that they are small enough to "work" within cells and are very targeted to deal with very complex environments.

The research team was inspired by these natural nanosensors to synthesize new nanosensors using DNA instead of protein or RNA. They adjusted the three natural DNA sequences (each capable of recognizing different transcription factors) and programmed them into molecular switches. When these DNA sequences bind to their targets, these molecular switches become fluorescent. Scientists can use such nanosensors to directly determine the activity of intracellular transcription factors by simply measuring fluorescence intensity.