美國諾特丹大學(xué)(University of Notre Dame)的一個研究小組證實(shí)一種新的DNA檢測方法很可能適合于很多實(shí)際應(yīng)用,。物理學(xué)家Carol Tanner和Steven Ruggiero領(lǐng)導(dǎo)該研究小組研究一種稱作激光投射譜(laser transmission spectroscopy, LTS)的新技術(shù)的應(yīng)用,。LTS能夠快速地測定懸浮液中納米顆粒的大小、形狀和數(shù)量,。
根據(jù)這篇在線發(fā)表在開放存取的而且得到同行評鑒的國際期刊《PLoS ONE》上的新研究論文,，該研究小組描述了他們?nèi)绾卫肔TS作為一種新的快速和定量檢測物種特異性DNA的方法從而將一種入侵物種與一種親緣關(guān)系密切的入侵姐妹種(sister species)區(qū)分開來。
研究得到諾特丹大學(xué)環(huán)境變化倡議組織(Environmental Change Initiative, ECI)的支持和合作,。ECI科學(xué)家們正在使用環(huán)境DNA(environmental DNA, eDNA)作為監(jiān)控北美五大湖(Great Lakes)區(qū)域亞洲鯉魚的一部分,。研究結(jié)果證實(shí)在實(shí)驗(yàn)室中LTS檢測DNA的基本假設(shè)。
諾特丹大學(xué)研究小組指出LTS技術(shù)對于已經(jīng)建立好的DNA檢測技術(shù)有著很多優(yōu)勢,。該技術(shù)是高度靈敏的,，只需幾秒鐘就可從遺傳學(xué)上記錄物種存在與否。研究人員也覺得LTS技術(shù)將定是要比當(dāng)前檢測技術(shù)更加快速,、實(shí)用和節(jié)約成本,，最終可能達(dá)到比較高的靈敏度而不用需要聚合酶鏈?zhǔn)椒磻?yīng)(polymerase chain reaction, PCR)來檢測。
盡管當(dāng)前的論文描述使用LTS檢測侵入物種,，但是諾特丹大學(xué)研究人員相信這種技術(shù)可能在檢測人病原菌以及理解和指示諸如癌癥之類的基因疾病方面也能作為一種重要的檢測工具,。(生物谷：towersimper編譯)
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0029224
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PMID:
Quantitative and Rapid DNA Detection by Laser Transmission Spectroscopy
Frank Li, Andrew R. Mahon, Matthew A. Barnes, Jeffery Feder, David M. Lodge, Ching-Ting Hwang, Robert Schafer, Steven T. Ruggiero, Carol E. Tanner
Laser transmission spectroscopy (LTS) is a quantitative and rapid in vitro technique for measuring the size, shape, and number of nanoparticles in suspension. Here we report on the application of LTS as a novel detection method for species-specific DNA where the presence of one invasive species was differentiated from a closely related invasive sister species. The method employs carboxylated polystyrene nanoparticles functionalized with short DNA fragments that are complimentary to a specific target DNA sequence. In solution, the DNA strands containing targets bind to the tags resulting in a sizable increase in the nanoparticle diameter, which is rapidly and quantitatively measured using LTS. DNA strands that do not contain the target sequence do not bind and produce no size change of the carboxylated beads. The results show that LTS has the potential to become a quantitative and rapid DNA detection method suitable for many real-world applications.
