Polydopamine-engineered FRET microspheres for robust dual-readout multiplexed nucleic acid analysis

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Multiplexed nucleic acid analysis is crucial for various applications, including diagnostics and research.
• Existing platforms face challenges in stability, sensitivity, and reproducibility.
• Developing novel platforms for high-density DNA immobilization is essential for advancing multiplexed analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a polydopamine-based FRET-encoded microsphere platform.
• To achieve stable spectral encoding and efficient decoding for multiplexed analysis.
• To enable robust and sensitive nucleic acid detection with improved DNA immobilization.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of polydopamine-engineered microspheres.
• Incorporation of Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) encoding for spectral multiplexing.
• Optimization of DNA immobilization techniques for high density and reproducibility.
• Validation of the platform for multiplexed nucleic acid analysis.

Main Results:

• The platform demonstrated stable spectral encoding and efficient decoding.
• Achieved reproducible high-density DNA immobilization (approximately 0.1 nmol mg⁻¹).
• Exhibited improved dispersion characteristics of the microspheres.
• Enabled robust and sensitive multiplexed nucleic acid analysis with low background signals.

Conclusions:

• The polydopamine-engineered FRET-encoded microsphere platform offers a stable and efficient solution for multiplexed nucleic acid analysis.
• The platform's high DNA immobilization capacity and low background signal enhance sensitivity and reproducibility.
• This technology holds promise for advancing applications requiring high-throughput and accurate nucleic acid detection.