Unlocked Nucleic Acids for miRNA detection using two dimensional nano-graphene oxide

In this study we have used Unlocked Nucleic Acids (UNAs) to discriminate a breast cancer oncomiR from two other miRNAs in the same RNA family using two-dimensional graphene oxide nanoassemblies. Fluorescently labeled single stranded probe strands and graphene oxide nanoassemblies have been used to detect miR-10b and discriminate it from miR-10a, which differs by only a single nucleotide (12th base from the 5' end), and miR-10c, which differs by only two nucleotides (12th and 16th bases from the 5' end). We have determined the discrimination efficacy and detection capacity of a DNA probe with two inserted UNA monomers (UNA₂), and compared it to the DNA probe with two purposefully inserted mutations (DNA_M2) and full complementary sequence (DNA_full). We have observed that UNA₂ is 50 times more powerful than DNA_full in discriminating miR-10b from miR-10c while generating an equally high fluorescence signal. This fluorescence signal was then further enhanced with the use of the highly specific endonuclease dsDNase for an enzymatic amplification step. The results demonstrate that the underutilized UNAs have enormous potential for miRNA detection and offer remarkable discrimination efficacy over single and double mismatches.