Real-time monitoring of DNA manipulations using biosensor technology

The potential of real-time biospecific interaction analysis technology for applications in molecular biology is described. DNA fragments are immobilized onto a biosensor surface using the high-affinity streptavidin-biotin system and subsequently used to monitor different unit operations in molecular biology, e.g., DNA strand separation, DNA hybridization kinetics, and enzymatic modifications. A model system comprising six oligonucleotides was used, which can be assembled into a 69-bp double-stranded DNA fragment. Using this system, the biosensor approach was employed to analyze multistep solid-phase gene assembly and the performance of different enzymes routinely used for the synthesis and manipulation of DNA. In addition, a concept for the determination of single-point mutations in DNA samples is described.