Real-time detection of TDP1 activity using a fluorophore-quencher coupled DNA-biosensor.

Real-time detection of enzyme activities may present the easiest and most reliable way of obtaining quantitative analyses in biological samples. We present a new DNA-biosensor capable of detecting the activity of the potential anticancer drug target tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (TDP1) in a very simple, high throughput, and real-time format. The biosensor is specific for Tdp1 even in complex biological samples, such as human cell extracts, and may consequently find future use in fundamental studies as well as a cancer predictive tool allowing fast analyses of diagnostic cell samples such as biopsies.