Ultra-fast detection and quantification of nucleic acids by amplification-free fluorescence assay

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Jesper Uhd
  • Laura Miotke
  • Hanlee P. Ji
  • Marina Dunaeva
  • Ger J.M. Pruijn
  • Christian Damsgaard Jørgensen
  • Emil Laust Kristoffersen
  • Victoria Birkedal
  • Christina Westmose Yde
  • Nielsen, Finn Cilius
  • Jonas Hansen
  • Kira Astakhova

Two types of clinically important nucleic acid biomarkers, microRNA (miRNA) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) were detected and quantified from human serum using an amplification-free fluorescence hybridization assay. Specifically, miRNAs hsa-miR-223-3p and hsa-miR-486-5p with relevance for rheumatoid arthritis and cancer related mutations BRAF and KRAS of ctDNA were directly measured. The required oligonucleotide probes for the assay were rationally designed and synthesized through a novel "clickable"approach which is time and cost-effective. With no need for isolating nucleic acid components from serum, the fluoresence-based assay took only 1 hour. Detection and absolute quantification of targets was successfully achieved despite their notoriously low abundance, with a precision down to individual nucleotides. Obtained miRNA and ctDNA amounts showed overall a good correlation with current techniques. With appropriate probes, our novel assay and signal boosting approach could become a useful tool for point-of-care measuring other low abundance nucleic acid biomarkers.

Original languageEnglish
JournalAnalyst
Volume145
Issue number17
Pages (from-to)5836-5844
Number of pages9
ISSN0003-2654
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

ID: 261164312