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Molecular Engineering of DNA: Molecular Beacons
Author(s) -
Wang Kemin,
Tang Zhiwen,
Yang Chaoyong James,
Kim Youngmi,
Fang Xiaohong,
Li Wei,
Wu Yanrong,
Medley Colin D.,
Cao Zehui,
Li Jun,
Colon Patrick,
Lin Hui,
Tan Weihong
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.200800370
Subject(s) - molecular beacon , oligonucleotide , dna , förster resonance energy transfer , fluorescence , biochip , chemistry , biosensor , molecular engineering , transduction (biophysics) , biophysics , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , biology , nanotechnology , materials science , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
Molecular beacons (MBs) are specifically designed DNA hairpin structures that are widely used as fluorescent probes. Applications of MBs range from genetic screening, biosensor development, biochip construction, and the detection of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms to mRNA monitoring in living cells. The inherent signal‐transduction mechanism of MBs enables the analysis of target oligonucleotides without the separation of unbound probes. The MB stem–loop structure holds the fluorescence‐donor and fluorescence‐acceptor moieties in close proximity to one another, which results in resonant energy transfer. A spontaneous conformation change occurs upon hybridization to separate the two moieties and restore the fluorescence of the donor. Recent research has focused on the improvement of probe composition, intracellular gene quantitation, protein–DNA interaction studies, and protein recognition.