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Updated: Jul 16, 2026
07:16
DNAzyme 10-23 - Based Nanomachines for Nucleic Acid Recognition
Published on: February 9, 2024
Autocatalytic DNA cascade circuits via split-triggered recombination for ultrasensitive programmable nucleic acid
Shanshan Tao1, Suqin Wang1, Songbai Zhang2
1Key Laboratory of Green Hydrogen and Advanced Catalysis of Jiangxi Province, College of Chemistry and Materials, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, 330022, PR China.
Talanta
|July 14, 2026
Summary
We developed a novel DNA circuit for sensitive microRNA detection. This method accurately identifies miRNA-21 in serum, offering a promising tool for early cancer diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Molecular Biology
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Accurate microRNA detection is crucial for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- Current methods may lack sensitivity or require complex procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish an isothermal self-catalytic DNA circuit for sensitive miRNA-21 detection.
- To develop a reliable method for analyzing miRNA-21 in biological samples like human serum.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a DNA circuit combining autocatalytic hairpin assembly (ACHA) and autocatalytic hybridization chain reaction (AHCR) amplification.
- HCR initiation triggers CHA, creating a self-feedback loop for exponential signal amplification.
- Employed a DNAzyme moiety for fluorescent signal reporting via cleavage of a fluorogenic probe.
Main Results:
- Achieved sensitive and reliable detection of miRNA-21 with a detection limit of 33.4 fM.
- Demonstrated the circuit's effectiveness in analyzing miRNA-21 in human serum samples.
- The cascaded circuit exhibited exponential fluorescence amplification from trace targets.
Conclusions:
- The developed isothermal self-catalytic DNA circuit offers a sensitive and universal platform for miRNA-21 analysis.
- This approach shows significant potential for low-abundance biomolecular sensing and early disease diagnosis.
- Self-feedback cascade circuits are promising for molecular sensing in complex biological environments.
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