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Digital Microfluidics Chips for the Execution and Real-Time Monitoring of Multiple Ribozymatic Cleavage Reactions.
Alen N Davis1, Kenza Samlali1,2, Jay B Kapadia1
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Québec H3G 1M8, Canada.
ACS Omega
|September 13, 2021
Summary
This study presents digital microfluidics (DMF) chips for automated ribozymatic reactions. These chips enable rapid, sensitive detection of DNA inducers, offering a cost-effective biosensing platform.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Bioengineering
Background:
- Ribozymatic reactions are crucial for various biological processes.
- Traditional methods for analyzing ribozyme activity can be time-consuming and complex.
- Digital microfluidics (DMF) offers a platform for miniaturizing and automating biochemical assays.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and evaluate digital microfluidics (DMF) chips for executing multiple ribozymatic reactions.
- To demonstrate the capability of these chips to detect short single-stranded DNA inducers.
- To establish ribozymes on DMF chips as sensitive biosensors for oligonucleotide quantification.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication and characterization of two distinct DMF chips.
- Integration of ribozymatic reactions and detection systems onto the DMF platform.
- Experimental validation of chip performance using DNA inducers and fluorescence measurements.
Main Results:
- The DMF chips successfully executed multiple ribozymatic reactions with proper controls.
- Fluorescence output was directly measurable from the chip, eliminating the need for gel electrophoresis.
- The ribozyme biosensors demonstrated high sensitivity, low limits of detection and quantification, and excellent signal-to-noise ratios.
Conclusions:
- The developed DMF chips provide a reliable, rapid, and efficient platform for ribozymatic reaction experiments.
- These chips automate and reduce the cost of ribozyme-based assays.
- The integrated ribozyme biosensors show significant potential for sensitive oligonucleotide detection.
