Research Project

Summary

DNA and its close relative RNA carry the code of life in every creature.  These two nucleic acids can reveal a great deal about human genetic diseases and about disease-causing viruses and micro-organisms. Nucleic acids are also important in agricultural, defense, environmental, and veterinary applications. In all such cases, scientists need to measure very accurately the amount of nucleic acids in a sample, and current methods need improvement.

This project sought a new kind of nucleic acid sensor (a ‘biosensor’) that is accurate, cheap, rapid, reusable, selective, sensitive, and sturdy.  To that end, the team gathered experts in chemistry, computers, engineering, medical genetics, and molecular biology to develop a new instrument. Its working assumption was that certain chemical probes can detect specific stretches of DNA or RNA when one attaches them to the surface of optical fibres. When one tags the DNA or RNA with a light-emitting substance and binds it to the optical fibre, it emits light that travels through the fibre and is subject to very accurate measurement.  Each measurement requires only a few minutes, and the biosensor is usable at least 100 times. The researchers used this new device to evaluate the DNA for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a very severe childhood genetic condition.

Fast Facts

• Highlighted outcome:  A new method to measure DNA and RNA in human and other biological samples.
• Number of research personnel:  9.
• Number of peer-reviewed publications:  8.
• Resources generated: Prototype instrument.

Notable Publications
Watterson JH,  Raha S,  Kotoris CC,  Wust CC, Gharabaghi F,  Jantzi SC,  Haynes NK,  Gendron NH,  Krull UJ,  Mackenzie AE,  and Piunno PAE. 2004.  Rapid detection of SNPs using a reusable fiber-optic biosensor.  Nucleic Acid Res. 32:E18.

Piunno PAE, Watterson JH, Kotoris CC, and Krull UJ.  2005. Alteration of the  selectivity of  hybridization of  immobilized  oligonucleotide  probes by  co-immobilization with  charged  oligomers of  ethylene  glycol. Analytica Chimica Acta 534:53-61.

Piunno PAE. 2004.  A  reusable  optical  nucleic  acid  biosensor  applied to the  rapid  detection of  single  nucleotide  polymorphisms  associated with  spinal  muscular  atrophy. Disc. Med. 4:45-9.

Piunno PAE,  Barzda V,  Jantzi SC,  Kotoris CC,  Major A,  Musikhin S,  Raha S, and  Krull UJ. 2005.  Toward the  development of  optical  nucleic  acid  biosensors  based on TIRF and TCSPC for  high  sensitivity  determinations. SPIE Proc. 59690R-1:9.

Major A, Barzda B, Piunno P, Musikhin S, and Krull UJ. 2005.  Development of femtosecond Yb:KGW laser for applications in optical DNA sensor technology. SPIE Proc. 59690Q-1:11.