分子灯标:用于基因检测的荧光杂交探针

随着基因工程技术应用的日趋广泛,如何快速简便准确地检测出基因序列变得日益重要。目前,一种新型的基因检测探针——分子灯标（ｍｏｌｅｃｕｌａｒｂｅａｃｏｎ）诞生了。它是在ＤＮＡ杂交技术和荧光共振能量转移原理的基础上开发出来的［１］,可以实现对基因序列的精...     

基于量子点的荧光共振能量转移探针的应用

量子点因其独特的光学性质,以及可与有机分子所形成的偶联物的特殊性质,在光学生物标记,由其是荧光共振能量转移(Fluorescence resonance energy transfer,FRET)探针的合成与应用等领域具有广泛的应用前景,并因其实时、准确、灵敏的检测优势,在生物及医学领域始终被热切关注。该文以量子点的优势为基础,分别介绍了用于检测核酸、蛋白酶、生物反应及细胞状态的量子点-FRET探针的研究机理研究进展及应用优势。并对量子点-FRET探针的存在问题及研究方向进行了展望,为进一步进行该领域的研究提供理论支撑。     

基于荧光蛋白的荧光共振能量转移探针的构建及应用

荧光共振能量转移(fluorescence resonance energy transfer,FRET)是基于荧光基团供体和荧光基团受体间偶极子–偶极子耦合作用的非辐射方式的能量传递现象。基于荧光蛋白的FRET技术已被广泛用于研究细胞信号通路中蛋白质–蛋白质活体相互作用检测、蛋白质构象变化监测以及生物探针的研制中。基于荧光蛋白的荧光共振能量转移探针使得人们可以在时间和空间层面上研究细胞信号的转导过程。该文简要介绍了四大类基于荧光蛋白的FRET生物探针的设计、研制以及其在生物信号分子检测、活细胞成像以及药物筛选中的应用和进展情况。     

复合探针荧光定量PCR方法的建立

为了对特定基因进行实时检测,根据荧光能量转移(FRET)原理,设计及合成了一种新的FRET复合探针,该探针由一条长的荧光杂交探针和短的淬灭探针构成,其中荧光探针5′端接一荧光素分子,3′端接一延伸阻断分子磷酸,淬灭探针3′端连接一个淬灭分子对甲基红,淬灭探针与荧光探针5′端互补,无模板时,该探针杂交形成复合探针。无荧光产生,当有模板时,荧光探针与模板杂交,荧光不能被淬灭,产生的荧光与模板量成正比。根据复合探针的反应原理,研究了该探针的FRET性质及影响因素包括淬灭探针及扩增片段长度、荧光探针与淬灭探针的合适比例及镁离子浓度。实验结果显示淬灭探针及扩增片段长度对复合探针的作用有明显的影响,本实验采用淬灭探针长21个核苷酸,扩增片段长127bp,荧光探针与淬灭探针的合适比例为1：1,镁离子浓度为3mmo1／L,可获得最佳的反应体系;该复合探针合成简单,淬灭彻底,具有良好的准确性与特异性,敏感性达10^2拷贝,并具有较宽的动力学定量范围,可对10^2—10^9拷贝范围内的待检样品进行准确的定量。复合探针技术可应用于病毒感染水平、转基因拷贝数及单核苷酸多态性等检测。     

细胞钙离子荧光探针研究进展

钙离子(Ca²⁺)广泛参与细胞生理病理反应,其含量和在胞内位置的改变可激发不同效应。因此,快速有效检测胞内Ca²⁺浓度及其分布对于了解其在细胞活动中的作用具有重要意义。荧光探针法由于灵敏度高、使用方便、成本低廉等优点得到广泛应用,但不同类型的探针在准确性、灵敏度和稳定性等方面各有优劣。本文系统总结了现有的Ca²⁺化学荧光探针和基因编码探针,为开展Ca²⁺相关研究时合理选择检测方法提供参考。     

活细胞的分子探针——绿色荧光蛋白

来自水母的绿色荧光蛋白（ＧＦＰ）,在不加外源物质的情况下,紫外光激发后,能在原核和玩具核活细胞中发绿色荧光,荧光性质稳定,突变蛋白发光效率提高,激发和发射光谱明显改变。ＧＦＰ是一种十分有用的活细胞分子探针,在基因表达调控,转基因动物研究,蛋白在细胞中功能定位,迁移变化,病原菌侵入活细胞的分子过程等诸多方面均有广泛的用途。     

荧光探针Bis-ANS和磷酸丙糖异构酶的相互作用

研究了极性荧光探针Bis-ANS和磷酸丙糖异构酶的相互作用。我们发现由磷酸丙糖异构酶(TIM)中Trp残基和结合在TIM分子上的Bis-ANS之间的能量传递引起的Trp残基荧光的淬灭呈双相性,表明Bis-ANS在TIM分子上可能有2个不相同的结合位点,其结合的解离平衡常数Kd分别为3.3μM和17.0μM。底物GDP引起已结合的Bis-ANS荧光强度进一步增强和荧光谱的蓝移说明GDP可影响Bis-ANS在TIM分子上结合部位的构象,使其疏水性增强。我们还观察到由于结合在同一TIM分子上的Bis-ANS之间的能量传递引起的退偏振,进一步证明Bis-ANS有2个结合部位在1—2800bar压力范围里,增高压力引起结合在TIM分子上的Bis-ANS荧光进一步增强和光谱蓝移,说明TIM在压力下解离成亚基的过程中发生了Weber提出的\"conformationaldrift。     

pH敏感的荧光探针及在活细胞中的应用

细胞内的pH是细胞内多种酶活性和生理活动的重要调节因素,准确、动态的监测细胞内pH变化对研究细胞内的活动至关重要。一些荧光小分子可以感应pH的变化,同时具有较高的灵敏度和特异性,对细胞损伤较小且标记操作简单,已逐渐发展成为一种监测细胞内pH变化的有效方法。本文主要介绍目前常用pH敏感的荧光探针及其在活细胞研究中的进展。     

荧光探针研究新进展

自从Southern(1975)首次进行DNA探针杂交后,至今核酸分子杂交已成为分子生物学的最基本方法。Matthews和Kricka[1]总结了各种杂交方法,将其归为两大类:一是异相杂交(heterogeneousassay)即固相杂交,目的核酸结合于不溶性支持物上;二是同相杂交(homogeneousassay)即液相杂交,一般同时使用两个探针。为了检测杂交,寡核苷酸探针需要标记,探针的标记物有放射性同位素和非放射性标记物。固相杂交常使用放射性同位素,荧光素是一种非放射性标记物,它能检测到的DNA浓度比吸收减色测定方法所需DNA浓度低100-1000倍[2],在同相杂交中广泛用于探针的标记。最近,荧光探针研究获得了新的进展,Tyagi和Krammer(1996)建立了一种新的荧光探针-分子信标探针,并得到许多应用,我们实验室也开展了这方面的研究。本文拟对荧光探针的研究进展作一综述。     

神经递质的可视化荧光检测技术研究进展

神经递质是神经系统中至关重要的组成部分,神经递质释放的时间和空间变化是神经网络中信息处理的核心,可视化监测神经递质的生物传感器是探究各类生理和病理活动的重要工具。文中综述了近年来具有较高时间和空间分辨率的监测神经递质时空分布变化技术的研究进展,介绍了对谷氨酸、多巴胺、γ-氨基丁酸和乙酰胆碱这4类重要的神经递质的检测方法,并归纳总结了各类检测方法的基本原理和优缺点,为设计具有高时空分辨率的神经递质传感器提供一个较为系统的参考。     

Molecular beacons: an optimal multifunctional biological probe

Molecular beacon technology is set up based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and the complementary pairing principles. These fluorescent molecular probes, which are very highly specific and sensitive, have now become one important tool in medical and biological researches. This review introduces the molecular beacons structure, principle, the main impact factors, the labeling of the molecular beacons, and research progress on molecular beacons fluorescent-label in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA sequence analysis, gene dynamic detection in living cells, protein (enzyme)-nucleic acid interactions and applications in clinical medicine.     

A self-assembled quantum dot probe for detecting beta-lactamase activity

This communication describes a quantum dot probe that can be activated by a reporter enzyme, beta-lactamase. Our design is based on the principle of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). A biotinylated beta-lactamase substrate was labeled with a carbocyanine dye, Cy5, and immobilized on the surface of quantum dots through the binding of biotin to streptavidin pre-coated on the quantum dots. In assembling this nanoprobe, we have found that both the distance between substrates and the quantum dot surface, and the density of substrates are important for its function. The fluorescence emission from quantum dots can be efficiently quenched (up to 95%) by Cy5 due to FRET. Our final quantum dot probe, assembled with QD605 and 1:1 mixture of biotin and a Cy5-labeled lactam, can be activated by 32microg/mL of beta-lactamase with 4-fold increase in the fluorescence emission.     

Sulfur signaling: is the agent sulfide or sulfane?

Triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) are sequence-dependent DNA binders that may be useful for DNA targeting and detection. A sensitive and convenient method to monitor triplex formation by a TFO and its target DNA duplex is required for the application of TFO probes. Here we describe a novel design by which triplex formation can be monitored homogeneously without prelabeling the target duplex. The design uses a TFO probe tagged with a fluorophore that undergoes fluorescence resonance energy transfer with fluorescent dyes that intercalate into the target duplex. Through color compensation analysis, the specific emission of the TFO probe reveals the status of the triple helices. We used this method to show that triple helix formation with TFOs is magnesium dependent. We also demonstrated that the TFO probe can be used for detection of sequence variation in melting analysis and for DNA quantitation in real-time polymerase chain reaction.     

Fluorescence emission spectra of cells and subcellular preparations of a green photosynthetic bacterium. Effects of dithionite on the intensity of the emission bands

Fluorescence emission spectra were measured of intact cells and subcellular preparations of the green photosynthetic bacterium Prosthecochloris aestuarii in the presence and in the absence of dithionite. A 3–5-fold increase in bacteriochlorophyll a fluorescence at 816 nm occurred upon addition of dithionite in a membrane vesicle preparation (Complex I), in a photochemically active pigment-protein complex and in a bacteriochlorophyll a protein complex free from reaction centers. The pigment-protein complex showed a relatively strong long-wave emission band (835 nm) of bacteriochlorophyll a, which was preferentially excited by light absorbed at 670 nm and was not stimulated by dithionite. With Complex I, which contains some bacteriochlorophyll c in addition to bacteriochlorophyll a, a 3–4-fold stimulation of bacteriochlorophyll c emission was also observed. Emission bands at shorter wavelengths, probably due to artefacts, were quenched by dithionite. With intact cells, the effect of dithionite was smaller, and consisted mainly of an increase of bacteriochlorophyll a emission.

The results indicate that the strong increase in the yield of bacteriochlorophyll emission that occurred upon generating reducing conditions is, at least mainly, due to a direct effect on the light-harvesting systems, and does not involve the reaction center as had been earlier postulated.     

Highly specific quantification of microRNA by coupling probe–rolling circle amplification and Förster resonance energy transfer

MicroRNA (miRNA) plays vital roles in various biological processes. In general, sensitivity and specificity are the major parameters for the quantification of miRNA. In this study, padlock probe–rolling circle amplification and Förster resonance energy transfer (pRCA–FRET) were coupled for specific and quantitative detection of miRNA. pRCA–FRET showed superior specificity to differentiate single-base mismatch and excellent sensitivity with a detection limit of 103 aM. The current method has the potential to quantify low amounts of miRNA in the same family for studies on their biological functions.     

纳米金探针在基因检测中的应用

传统的核酸分析中常采用放射性元素、荧光色素以及酶标记等基因探针,这些探针都存在着一些不足之处。近年来,纳米金探针作为一种新型的基因探针,己引起了广泛的关注。该探针具有优良的光谱特征和光化学稳定性,对核酸的非特异吸附性小,与核酸等生物大分子结合后不改变生物分子的活性。将纳米金探针用于基因检测,具有操作简便、快速、安全、实验成本低等优点。本文就纳米金探针的发展过程、纳米金探针的制备、检测原理及其在基因分析中的应用等几个方面作了系统而全面地概述,同时介绍了纳米金探针的最新研究进展,并对其发展前景作了简要评述。