DNA nanoswitches: a quantitative platform for gel-based biomolecular interaction analysis

Nat Methods. 2015 Feb;12(2):123-126. doi: 10.1038/nmeth.3209. Epub 2014 Dec 8.

Abstract

We introduce a nanoscale experimental platform that enables kinetic and equilibrium measurements of a wide range of molecular interactions using a gel electrophoresis readout. Programmable, self-assembled DNA nanoswitches serve both as templates for positioning molecules and as sensitive, quantitative reporters of molecular association and dissociation. We demonstrated this low-cost, versatile, 'lab-on-a-molecule' system by characterizing ten different interactions, including a complex four-body interaction with five discernible states.

MeSH terms

  • Biotin / chemistry
  • DNA, Circular / chemistry*
  • DNA, Circular / metabolism
  • DNA, Single-Stranded / chemistry*
  • DNA, Single-Stranded / metabolism
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel*
  • Kinetics
  • Ligands
  • Microfluidics* / instrumentation
  • Microfluidics* / methods
  • Models, Biological
  • Nanotechnology* / instrumentation
  • Nanotechnology* / methods
  • Protein Binding
  • Proteins / chemistry*
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • Streptavidin / chemistry

Substances

  • DNA, Circular
  • DNA, Single-Stranded
  • Ligands
  • Proteins
  • Biotin
  • Streptavidin