Issue 7, 2011

DNA hybridization of pathogenicity island of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis with discretely functionalized gold nanoparticles in organic solvent mixtures

Abstract

Short single-strand (ss) DNA sensors that involve mono-functionalized gold nanoparticles are reported for the first time. By way of an example, the hybridization and detection of a 10 base-pair oligonucleotide (TGACTCTTAA), which relates to the pathogenicity island of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, has been demonstrated in the organic solvent mixture (DMF/CHCl3/H2O/NaCl) at sub-nanomole concentrations. The formation of the resulting double-strand (ds) DNA–AuNP complexes which involve either tail-to-tail or head-to-head alignment, are sensitive to salt (NaCl) and solvent (CHCl3) concentrations. By UV/visible absorption measurements, it has been found that the melting temperature of the dsDNA–AuNP complexes increases with increasing salt concentrations as well as the chloroform ratio, for both tail-to-tail and head-to-head alignments. Transmission electron microscopic images of the dsDNA–AuNP complexes with mono-functionalized AuNPs reveal significant amounts of dimeric AuNP species while that of randomly functionalized AuNPs reveal an agglomerated AuNP nanostructures.

Graphical abstract: DNA hybridization of pathogenicity island of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis with discretely functionalized gold nanoparticles in organic solvent mixtures

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
14 Jun 2011
Accepted
14 Aug 2011
First published
06 Oct 2011

RSC Adv., 2011,1, 1342-1348

DNA hybridization of pathogenicity island of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis with discretely functionalized gold nanoparticles in organic solvent mixtures

C. Chak, J. M. Y. Lai, K. W. Y. Sham, C. H. K. Cheng and K. C. Leung, RSC Adv., 2011, 1, 1342 DOI: 10.1039/C1RA00304F

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