Cascade Strand Displacement and Bipedal Walking Based DNA Logic System for miRNA Diagnostics

DNA logic gated operations empower the highly efficient analysis of multiplex nucleic acid inputs, which have attracted extensive attention. However, the integration of DNA logic gates with abundant computational functions and signal amplification for biomedical diagnosis is far from being fully achieved. Herein, we develop a bipedal DNA walker based amplified electrochemical method for miRNA detection, which is then used as the basic unit for the construction of various logic circuits, enabling the analysis of multiplex miRNAs. In the bipedal walking process, target triggered strand displacement polymerization is able to produce a large number of strands for the fabrication of three-way junction-structured bipedal walkers. The following catalytic hairpin assembly ensures the walking event and the immobilization of signal probes for output. Ultrahigh sensitivity is realized due to the integration of dual signal amplification. In addition, under logic function controls by input triggered cascade strand displacement reactions, NOT, AND, OR, NAND, NOR, XOR, and XNOR logic gates are successfully established. The as-developed DNA logic system can also be extended to multi-input modes, which holds great promise in the fields of DNA computing, multiplex analysis, and clinical diagnosis.

Automated summary

The research developed an amplified electrochemical method for miRNA detection based on DNA logic gates, enabling the analysis of multiple miRNAs. Signal amplification was achieved through target-triggered strand displacement polymerization and catalytic hairpin assembly, successfully establishing various logic gates.