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Updated: Jan 22, 2026
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Kinetic Screening of Nuclease Activity using Nucleic Acid Probes
Published on: November 1, 2019
8.7K
Nucleic-Acid Structures as Intracellular Probes for Live Cells
Devleena Samanta1, Sasha B Ebrahimi2, Chad A Mirkin1
1Department of Chemistry and International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|July 5, 2019
Summary
Nucleic-acid-based probes enable live-cell analysis of molecular composition, offering single-cell insights lost in traditional methods. This technology reveals cellular dynamics and heterogeneity for improved disease diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Cellular chemical composition dictates cell behavior, growth, and function.
- Analyzing molecular profiles aids in understanding cellular processes and disease diagnosis.
- Traditional methods analyzing fixed cells or bulk populations lose critical cellular dynamics and heterogeneity information.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in nucleic-acid-based probes for live-cell analysis.
- To discuss strategies for probe design and target identification.
- To highlight current limitations and future directions in the field.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of nucleic-acid-based probes.
- Single-cell resolution analysis of intracellular analytes in live cells.
- Review of probe design strategies and target identification.
Main Results:
- Nucleic-acid-based probes offer a promising platform for detecting diverse intracellular analytes.
- These probes enable live-cell analysis with single-cell resolution, preserving cellular dynamics.
- The technology provides insights into cellular heterogeneity previously unattainable.
Conclusions:
- Nucleic-acid-based probes are a powerful tool for live-cell molecular analysis.
- Advances in probe design and application are enhancing our understanding of cellular processes.
- Further development holds potential for improved disease diagnostics and fundamental biological research.
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