A fluorescently labeled, hyperbranched polymer synthesized from DE-ATRP for the detection of DNA hybridization

Abstract

The early detection of oligonucleotide biomarkers of disease, such as microRNAs, has been established as a fundamental factor in cancer diagnosis. As the levels of these small molecules (microRNAs) in blood have recently been found to be significantly affected in cancer patients, they offer a means of early stage detection of cancer. Towards the goal of creating a novel method of DNA hybridization detection, we report the detection of specific sequences of small oligonucleotides in a model experiment carried out in serum. The results shown here display the versatility of the DE-ATRP method in synthesizing a specific polymer structure capable of changing its physical properties in the presence of double stranded DNA. The polymer was labeled and used to detect single-stranded DNA in serum successfully.