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MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After...

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MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

Published on: October 7, 2025

Chemically Modified DNAzyme with Enhanced Activity for Sensitive MicroRNA Imaging in Live Cells.

Jiawen Chen¹, Juan Wang², Jiahuan Wang¹

¹State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

|May 4, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a highly sensitive DNAzyme sensor for imaging microRNAs (miRNAs) in living cells. This new tool improves upon existing methods, enabling better visualization of miRNA dynamics for cancer research and therapeutic applications.

Keywords:

DNAzyme chemically modified nucleic acid miRNA detection and imaging

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DNAzyme-dependent Analysis of rRNA 2’-O-Methylation

DNAzyme-dependent Analysis of rRNA 2’-O-Methylation

Published on: September 16, 2019

Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Molecular Biology
Biomedical Engineering

Background:

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial gene regulators and biomarkers in cancer.
Current intracellular miRNA imaging techniques lack sensitivity and are complex.
Developing advanced tools for miRNA detection is vital for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a highly sensitive and efficient DNAzyme-based sensor for intracellular microRNA imaging.
To identify and utilize a superior DNAzyme variant for enhanced catalytic activity.
To enable real-time visualization of microRNA dynamics in living cells.

Main Methods:

Systematic screening to identify a site-specifically modified DNAzyme variant (11Bn) with enhanced catalytic activity.
Construction of a DNAzyme-based sensor utilizing the 11Bn variant for miRNA-21 detection.
Intracellular imaging of miRNA-21 in living cells using the developed sensor.

Main Results:

The 11Bn DNAzyme variant showed up to 7-fold higher catalytic activity compared to the wild-type.
The DNAzyme sensor achieved a 7.89 nM limit of detection, threefold lower than the wild-type sensor.
Sensitive visualization of intracellular miRNA-21 was achieved without signal amplification, capturing dynamic changes.

Conclusions:

The novel DNAzyme sensor offers a sensitive and versatile tool for intracellular miRNA imaging.
This technology advances the study of miRNA roles in biological processes and diseases like cancer.
The sensor holds potential for biomedical applications, including diagnostics and drug development.