Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

Gold nanostar based biosensor detects epigenetic alterations on promoter of real cells

  • Anh H. Nguyen
  • , Xingyi Ma
  • , Sang Jun Sim*
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Epigenetic changes, particularly in cancer suppressor genes, are novel biomarkers for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. However, epigenetic studies should not only provide an estimation of the amount of 5-methylcytosine, but also examine the presence of epigenetic proteins to reveal the complete epigenetic alterations for downstream molecular process. The challenge of natural epigenetics is to unveil key factors of epigenetics in one assay, containing low concentrations. This would be valuable for the monitoring of early-stage cancer. On the basic of the nanoplasmonic biosensor, here we report a sensitive sensor to study epigenetics of DNA promoter. The results show detection limit for dual epigenetic biomarkers methyl-CpG group and methyl-CpG binding domain protein 2 (MBD2) are one 5-methylcytosine molecule and 125. fM MBD2. Moreover, DNA structure bending, steric competition under interaction of epigenetic proteins and transcription factors; and epigenetics-mediated suppression of transcription are observed during epigenetic alterations. This study provides a platform for full story of epigenetics, as compared with that of methylcytosine-based techniques only.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)497-503
Number of pages7
JournalBiosensors and Bioelectronics
Volume66
DOIs
StatePublished - 5 Apr 2015
Externally publishedYes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

  • DNA methylation
  • Epigenetics
  • Gold nanostars
  • Peptide nucleic acid
  • Plasmon coupling
  • Plasmonic biosensors

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Gold nanostar based biosensor detects epigenetic alterations on promoter of real cells'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this