Engineering DNAzyme cascade for signal transduction and amplification

Analyst. 2020 Mar 2;145(5):1925-1932. doi: 10.1039/c9an02003a.

Abstract

Inspired by the natural enzyme cascade reaction, a multiple DNAzyme cascade platform is engineered to imitate the intracellular process of signal transduction and signal amplification. In this design, when particular stimuli appear, an activated upstream DNAzyme will cleave a well-designed intermediary S1, releasing a downstream DNAzyme that can cleave the reporter substrate S2 to output signals. Thus, the signal is passed from the upstream DNAzyme to the downstream DNAzyme through a well-designed intermediary, accomplishing signal transduction and signal amplification. According to the experimental results, the DNAzyme cascades are capable of improving sensitivity for bioassays compared with that for single DNAzyme-based biocatalysis, which holds promise for potential applications, such as biomolecular computing, logic circuits and precision medicine.

MeSH terms

  • Biocatalysis
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods*
  • DNA, Catalytic / chemistry*
  • DNA, Catalytic / genetics
  • Genetic Engineering*
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs / blood*
  • Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / methods*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • DNA, Catalytic
  • MicroRNAs
  • mirnlet7 microRNA, human