Stem-loop oligonucleotide beacons as switches for amplifying-fluorescent-polymer-based biological warfare sensors

Kenneth D. Clinkenbeard; Akhilesh Ramachandran; Jerry R. Malayer; Joong Ho Moon; Lawrence F. Hancock

doi:10.1117/12.502466

22 September 2003 Stem-loop oligonucleotide beacons as switches for amplifying-fluorescent-polymer-based biological warfare sensors

Kenneth D. Clinkenbeard, Akhilesh Ramachandran, Jerry R. Malayer, Joong Ho Moon, Lawrence F. Hancock

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5071, Sensors, and Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (C3I) Technologies for Homeland Defense and Law Enforcement II; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.502466
Event: AeroSense 2003, 2003, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

Sensors that are exceptionally sensitive with real-time outputs and minimal consumption of reagents are needed to continuously monitor air and water against bioterrorist incidents. Amplifying fluorescent polymers (AFP) provide exceptionally sensitive real-time reagentless sensor platforms as applied to detection of nitroaromatic explosives. This platform technology has the potential to be adapted to detect biological warfare (BW) agents by covalently attaching the 5’ end of stem-loop molecular beacons to AFP as DNA hybridization signal transduction switches. Molecular beacons with loop sequences specific for sequence signatures of a target BW agent are configured with a quencher on the end of the 3’ arm of the stem-loop. The AFP is quenched in the absence of target DNA, but upon hybridization with target the stem is melted, the duplex loop extended, and the AFP dequenched. This signal transduction is reversible upon removal of the target sequence with the molecular beacon reforming the stem-loop conformation. Proof-of-concept research has demonstrated that molecular beacons for signature sequences of Francisella tularensis result in correct identification of the presence of this agent in samples, but no false positives were seen with Escherichia coli.

Citation Download Citation

Kenneth D. Clinkenbeard, Akhilesh Ramachandran, Jerry R. Malayer, Joong Ho Moon, and Lawrence F. Hancock "Stem-loop oligonucleotide beacons as switches for amplifying-fluorescent-polymer-based biological warfare sensors", Proc. SPIE 5071, Sensors, and Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence (C3I) Technologies for Homeland Defense and Law Enforcement II, (22 September 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.502466

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available