CRISPR/Cas9-based coronal nanostructures for targeted mitochondria single molecule imaging

Xuan Zhao; Na Na; Jin Ouyang

doi:10.1039/d2sc03329a

CRISPR/Cas9-based coronal nanostructures for targeted mitochondria single molecule imaging

Chem Sci. 2022 Sep 10;13(38):11433-11441. doi: 10.1039/d2sc03329a. eCollection 2022 Oct 5.

Authors

Xuan Zhao¹, Na Na¹, Jin Ouyang¹

Affiliation

¹ Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University Beijing 100875 China jinoyang@bnu.edu.cn.

Abstract

The biological state at the subcellular level is highly relevant to many diseases, and the monitoring of organelles such as mitochondria is crucial based on this. However, most DNA and protein based nanoprobes used for the detection of mitochondrial RNAs (mitomiRs) lack spatial selectivity, which leads to inefficiencies in probe delivery and signal turn-on. Herein, we constructed a novel DNA nanoprobe named protein delivery nano-corona (PDNC) to improve the delivery efficiency of Cas protein, for spatially selective imaging of mitomiRs in living cells switched on by a CRISPR/Cas system. Combined with a single-molecule counting method, this strategy enables highly sensitive detection of low-abundance mitomiR. Therefore, the strategy in this work opens up new opportunities for cell identification, early clinical diagnosis, and research in biological behaviour at the subcellular level.