Nucleic-acid-responsive gel, method for producing same, and use of same

摘要

The present invention provides a nucleic-acid-responsive gel which allows (i) a larger volumetric change through structural design, (ii) adjustment of its recognition ability to recognize a nucleic acid, (iii) improvement of sensitivity, and (iv) flexible design according to, e.g., a sequence of target DNA. The nucleic-acid-responsive gel includes a probe formed of two single-stranded nucleic acids which are hybridized with each other. The probe is fixed within a network structure of a polymer gel. The two single-stranded nucleic acids are bound reversibly with each other.

主权项

1. A nucleic-acid-responsive gel comprising a probe fixed inside a network structure of a polymer gel, wherein the probe comprises 0.1% or more of the dry weight of the gel, and wherein the probe comprises a first single strand of DNA, RNA, or PNA and a second single strand of DNA, RNA, or PNA,
wherein the first and the second single strand are substantially complementary to each other; wherein the first or the second single strand is capable of hybridizing with a target nucleic acid; wherein the probe forms a cross-linkage in a manner such that each of the first and second single strands of DNA, RNA, or PNA binds at a single point with a polymer compound constituting the network structure of the polymer gel, the single point being the only point where each of the first and second single strands is bound to the polymer compound; wherein the nucleic-acid-responsive gel swells in response to the target nucleic acid; and wherein the nucleic-acid-responsive gel has a swelling ratio of 1.1 or higher, the swelling ratio being a value obtained by dividing a volume of the gel after a volumetric change after the gel swells by a volume of the gel before the volumetric change.