Hairpin DNA coated gold nanoparticles as intracellular mRNA probes for the detection of tyrosinase gene expression in melanoma cells

A new intracellular mRNA imaging probe has been developed that incorporates thiol-terminated hairpin oligonucleotides covalently bound to the surface of citrate-capped gold nanoparticles. The hairpin DNA-coated gold nanoparticles (hAuNPs) positively identifies tyrosinase mRNA in cultured melanoma cells.