Adamantane Derivatives Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles for Colorimetric Detection of MiRNA

MiRNAs are riveting RNA molecules due to their close relevance to the regulation of gene expression and certain physiological or pathological processes. Rapid and sensitive methods for miRNA assay are essential for biological researches and clinical diagnosis of many diseases. In this work, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been modified with adamantane derivatives and then Dwith NA probes for colorimetric detection of miRNA. Target miRNA induces a change in DNA conformation and initiates strand displacement amplification, eventually leading to massive aggregations of AuNPs. By comparing the UV-vis absorption spectra, miRNA concentration can be determined. This developed method can detect miRNA as low as 3.7 x 10(-15)m with remarkable specificity. Moreover, it is successfully used to inspect the expression of miRNA in biological samples. Therefore, adamantane derivatives functionalized AuNPs are demonstrated to offer a novel platform for biosensing and the miRNA sensing strategy may find a broad spectrum of practical applications.