Base pair mismatch identification with DNA nanoswitch and long lifetime acridine fluorophore

Detection of single base pair mutations in an unlabelled nucleic acid target sequence is demonstrated using the time-resolved measurement of the Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) between a long lifetime acridine-based fluorophore and a non-fluorescent quencher molecule covalently bound to a DNA Holliday junction-based nanoswitch.