Handheld energy-efficient magneto-optical real-time quantitative PCR device for target DNA enrichment and quantification

摘要

Iron nanoparticles play double duty as ‘nanoheaters’ for DNA amplification and as molecular manipulators in a new point-of-care prototype. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) devices create multiple copies of small DNA strands for genetic testing, but usually require bulky heating and cooling mechanisms. Dar-Bin Shieh and colleagues from National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan have found that tiny clusters of iron oxide nanocubes can improve heat transfer in PCR devices by entering the liquid phase next to the target DNA. When irradiated by laser light, the iron nanoclusters release heat to precisely modulate DNA temperatures. Furthermore, functionalizing the nanoparticles with nucleotide probes enables them to attach to and extract specific disease-indicating mitochondria using magnetic fields. The portable, battery-powered prototype can wirelessly interface with tablet computers and is twice as efficient at isolating mitochondria as commercial kits.