Terahertz spectroscopy of oligonucleotides in aqueous solutions

J Biomed Opt. 2015;20(9):095009. doi: 10.1117/1.JBO.20.9.095009.

Abstract

A terahertz (THz) spectroscopic study is carried out to analyze DNA mutations in a label-free manner. Three newly designed liquid sample cells are considered and the best is selected as the sample carrier for THz transmission spectroscopic analyses. Discrimination based on spectral signatures of single-base mutations on single-stranded 20 nt oligonucleotides has been shown possible experimentally. The results clearly attest the ability of this promising approach for label-free analyses of single-base mutations of DNA molecules. This study has demonstrated that the THz spectroscopic technology can be considered as a potential diagnostic tool for investigating molecular reactions, such as DNA mutations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • DNA / analysis*
  • DNA / chemistry
  • DNA / genetics*
  • DNA Mutational Analysis / instrumentation
  • DNA Mutational Analysis / methods*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / genetics*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / instrumentation
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / methods*
  • Solutions
  • Terahertz Spectroscopy / instrumentation
  • Terahertz Spectroscopy / methods*
  • Water / chemistry

Substances

  • Solutions
  • Water
  • DNA