Journal
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Volume 82, Issue 1, Pages 229-233Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/ac902198v
Keywords
-
Categories
Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [20575028]
- Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province [BK2008268]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
DNA methylation, catalyzed by methylases, plays a critical role in many biological processes, and methylases have been regarded as promising targets for antimicrobial drugs. In this paper, we propose a simple and sensitive colorimetric assay method to detect the activity of methylases so as to monitor DNA methylation using DNA-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) coupled with enzyme-linkage reactions. The duplex DNA molecules modified on the surface of AuNPs are first methylated by DNA adenine methylation (Dam) methyltransferase (MTase) and then cut by methylation-sensitive restriction endonuclease Dpn I. Removal of duplex from the AuNP surfaces by the methylation/cleavage process will destabilize the nanoparticles, resulting in aggregation of AuNPs and a red-to-blue color change. Consequently, the enzyme activity of Dam MTase can be assayed and DNA methylation can be detected. Furthermore, this study may provide a sensitive platform to screen inhibitors for Dam MTase.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available