Label free detection of 5′hydroxymethylcytosine within CpG islands using optical sensors

• Detection and differentiation of two structural methylated cytosine analogs, 5′mC and 5′hmC, at sub-pM concentration levels.
• PCR-free detection based on a label-free, real-time integrated optical sensor.
• Epoxy–silane based antibody bioconjugation method developed to enable selective detection.
• Specificity greater than 3:1 at nM concentrations.

Significant research has been invested in correlating genetic variations with different disease probabilities. Recently, it has become apparent that other DNA modifications, such as the addition of a methyl or hydroxymethyl group to cytosine, can also play a role. While these modifications do not change the sequence, they can negatively impact the function. Therefore, it is critical to be able to both read the genetic code and identify these modifications. Currently, the detection of hydroxymethylated cytosine (5′hmC) and the two closely related variants, cytosine (C) and 5′methylcytosine (5′mC), relies on a combination of nucleotide modification steps, followed by PCR and gene sequencing. However, this approach is not ideal because transcription errors which are inherent to the PCR process can be misinterpreted as fluctuations in the relative C:5′mC:5′hmC concentrations. As such, an alternative method which does not rely on PCR or nucleotide modification is desirable. One approach is based on label-free optical resonant cavity sensors. In the present work, toroidal resonant cavity sensors are functionalized with antibodies to enable label-free detection and discrimination between C, 5′mC, and 5′hmC in real-time without PCR. Specifically, epoxide chemistry is used to covalently attach the 5′hmC antibody to the surface of the cavity. Subsequently, to thoroughly characterize the sensor platform, detection of C, 5′mC, and 5′hmC is performed over a concentration range from pM to nM. At low (pM) concentrations, the hydroxymethylated cytosine produces a significantly larger signal than the structurally similar epigenetic markers; thus demonstrating the applicability of this platform.

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