PH-RESPONSIVE POLY-NUCLEIC ACID COMPLEXES

摘要

This invention relates to the field of small size pH-responsive tools, especially for measuring a pH value in biological media. I-motif DNA structures have been extensively used in the art for the fabrication of nanodevices; however, it is still a challenge to assist the folding of multi-stranded i-motif, especially at physiological pH. The inventors have conceived a multi- stranded i-motif-based pH-responsive tool, which comprises a poly-nucleic acid complex, instead of the mono-nucleic acid complexes which were known in the art. The poly-nucleic acid complex according to the invention is far easier to design, and may be easily adapted depending on the pH- range of interest to be measured. The poly-nucleic complexes of the invention are useful for designing a variety of pH-responsive devices, and especially pH biosensors and pH-sensitive delivery systems, particularly in the pharmaceutical field.