Gold nanoparticle-based sensors activated by external radio frequency fields.

A novel molecular beacon (a nanomachine) is constructed that can be actuated by a radio frequency (RF) field. The nanomachine consists of the following elements arranged in molecular beacon configuration: a gold nanoparticle that acts both as quencher for fluorescence and a localized heat source; one reporter fluorochrome, and; a piece of DNA as a hinge and recognition sequence. When the nanomachines are irradiated with a 3 GHz RF field the fluorescence signal increases due to melting of the stem of the molecular beacon.

Tracking neuronal marker expression inside living differentiating cells using molecular beacons.

Monitoring gene expression is an important tool for elucidating mechanisms of cellular function. In order to monitor gene expression during nerve cell development, molecular beacon (MB) probes targeting markers representing different stages of neuronal differentiation were designed and synthesized as 2'-O-methyl RNA backbone oligonucleotides. MBs were transfected into human mesencephalic cells (LUHMES) using streptolysin-O-based membrane permeabilization.