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Single-molecule imaging for unraveling the functional diversity of 10–23 DNAzymes

Abstract:
DNA-based enzymes, also known as DNAzymes, have opened new opportunities for signal generation and amplification in several fields including biosensing. However, biosensor performance can be hampered by heterogeneity in the catalytic activity of such DNAzymes, especially when relying on a limited number of molecules to generate signal. In this regard, single-molecule studies are essential to discern the behavior among such heterogeneous molecules otherwise masked by ensemble measurements. This work presents a novel methodology to study the 10–23 RNA-cleaving DNAzyme at the single-molecule level. By means of measuring the distance-sensitive efficiency of Förster Resonance Energy Transfer using alternating-laser excitation on a superresolution microscope, we determined the kinetics of individual DNAzymes in terms of substrate turnover, rates of different reaction steps, and changes in performance over time. Our results revealed that, despite high concentrations of the reaction cofactor (i.e., Mg2+), a maximum of only 70% of the DNAzymes are actively cleaving multiple substrate sequences; the DNAzyme molecules also showed a wide range of substrate turnover rates. Our findings shed new light on the functional diversity of DNAzymes and the importance of exploring sequence modifications to improve their catalytic performance. Ultimately, this work presents a technique to obtain time-dependent information, which could be easily implemented to study other types of enzymes or biomolecular interactions.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1021/acs.analchem.5c01439

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Physics
Role:
Author
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Physics
Role:
Author
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Physics
Sub department:
Condensed Matter Physics
Oxford college:
St Cross College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-0904-5323


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Funder identifier:
https://ror.org/029chgv08
Grant:
110164/Z/15/Z


Publisher:
American Chemical Society
Journal:
Analytical Chemistry More from this journal
Volume:
97
Issue:
25
Pages:
13300–13309
Place of publication:
United States
Publication date:
2025-06-17
Acceptance date:
2025-06-12
DOI:
EISSN:
1520-6882
ISSN:
0003-2700
Pmid:
40526377


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
2133046
Local pid:
pubs:2133046
Deposit date:
2025-08-02

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