Detection of Bifidobacterium Species-specific 16S rDNA Based on QD FRET Bioprobe

Abstract

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) that consists of quantum dot as donors and organic fluorophore dyes as acceptors has been a very important method to detect biomolecules such as nucleic acids. In this work, we established a new FRET detection system of Bifidobacterium species-specific 16S rDNA using QD-ROX FRET bioprobe, in which 525 nm QD-DNA conjugation consisted of the carboxyl-modified QD and the amino-modified DNA in the presence of EDC. Both ROX-DNA and the conjugation above could hybridize with the target DNA after forming the QD-ROX bioprobe. When the hybridization made the distance between the QD and ROX to meet FRET effect needed, 525 nm QD fluorescence intensity decreased and ROX fluorescence intensity increased. In the control, there was no notable change of fluorescence intensities without target DNA. It is very clear that the change of the QD and ROX fluorescence intensities provide the good base and guaranty for this rapid and simple detection system.