Metal-Organic Framework Nanoparticles Power DNAzyme Logic Circuits for Aberrant MicroRNA Imaging

At the molecular level, a large number of studies exist on the use of dynamic DNA molecular circuits for disease diagnosis and biomedicine. However, how to design programmable molecular circuit devices to autonomously and accurately diagnose multiple low-abundance biomolecules in complex cellular environments remains a challenge. Here, we constructed DNAzyme logic circuits for the analysis and imaging of multiple microRNAs in living cells using Cu/ZIF-8 NPs as a nanocarrier of the logic gate modules and the Cu2+ cofactor of the Cu2+-dependent DNAzyme. The logic gate modules of the logic operation system were adsorbed on the surface of Cu/ZIF-8 NPs via electrostatic interaction. After internalization, pH-responsive Cu/ZIF-8 NPs could efficiently release the logic gate modules and Cu2+, which allowed us to realize multiple logic computations initiated by endogenous miRNA, including one YES logic gate and two binary logic gates (OR and AND) in different living cells. Cu2+-DNAzyme logic circuits could quickly respond to multiple endogenous miRNAs in the complex cell environment, which also provided a new research method for the application of DNA biocomputing circuits in living cells.

Automated summary

In this study, DNAzyme logic circuits were constructed for the analysis and imaging of multiple microRNAs in living cells using Cu/ZIF-8 NPs as a nanocarrier. The logic gate modules of the system were efficiently released by pH-responsive Cu/ZIF-8 NPs, allowing for multiple logic computations initiated by endogenous miRNA. This research provides a new method for the application of DNA biocomputing circuits in living cells.