| Language: | English |
|---|---|
| Type: | Article |
| Authors: | Ning Chen, Anatoly A. Zinchenko, Yuka Yamazaki, Yuko Yoshikawa, Shizuaki Murata and Kenichi Yoshikawa |
| Journal: | Soft Matter |
| Volume: | 6 |
| Number: | 12 |
| Month: | 5 |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Actual year: | 2010 |
| Pages: | 2834-2841 |
| URL: | http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2010/SM/c001686a |
| doi: | 10.1039/C001686A |
| Abstract: | Semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots) have advantageous optical properties compared to conventional organic fluorescent dyes. At present, quantum dots are widely used for the observation of cells and tissues, labeling of short oligonucleotide sequences for the detection of hybridization, and other biological purposes. However, the possibility to observe long macromolecules with quantum dots has not yet been examined. In this report we present the results of our investigation on the labeling of long DNA molecules, as well as a long synthetic polyelectrolyte (sodium polystyrene sulfonate), with quantum dots as a first experimental protocol for the quantum dot-based single-molecule observation of long polymer chains. We examined a suitability of Qdots as fluorescent binders to monitor conformational transitions of giant DNA and polystyrene sulfonate labeled with Qdots. The advantages and drawbacks of Qdots as fluorescent probes for polymers are described. |
Ning Chen, Anatoly A. Zinchenko, Yuka Yamazaki, Yuko Yoshikawa, Shizuaki Murata and Kenichi Yoshikawa, Soft Matter, 6, 2834-2841 (2010)