Abstract
Catalytic DNA-based fluorescent sensors have enabled cellular imaging of metal ions such as Mg2+ . However, natural DNA is prone to nuclease-mediated degradation. Here, we report the in vitro selection of threose nucleic acid enzymes (TNAzymes) with RNA endonuclease activities. One such TNAzyme, T17-22, catalyzes a site-specific RNA cleavage reaction with a kcat of 0.017 min-1 and KM of 675 nM. A fluorescent sensor based on T17-22 responds to an increasing concentration of Mg2+ with a limit of detection at 0.35 mM. This TNAzyme-based sensor also allows cellular imaging of Mg2+ . This work presents the first proof-of-concept demonstration of using a TNA catalyst in cellular metal ion imaging.
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