Lineal DNA logic gate for microRNA diagnostics with strand displacement and fluorescence resonance energy transfer

Designing molecular logic gates to operate programmably for molecular diagnostics in molecular computing still remains challenging. Here, we designed a novel linear DNA logic gates for microRNA analysis based on strand displacement and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Two labeled strands closed each other produce to FRET through hybridization with a complementary strand to form a basic work unit of logic gate. Two indicators of heart failure (microRNA-195 and microRNA-21) were selected as the logic inputs and the fluorescence mode was used as the logic output. We have demonstrated that the molecular logic gate mechanism worked well with the construction of YES and AND gates.

Graphical abstractThe logic gate in our system mainly consists of SA, SF and SQ. SF and SQ were in close proximity to each other through hybridization with SA to construct the base unit of logic gate. Only the input of both miR-195 and miR-21 can release the SF to produce the output signal in AND gate.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide