DNA Sensing with Whispering Gallery Mode Microlasers

Soraya Caixeiro; Robert Dörrenhaus; Anna Popczyk; Marcel Schubert; Stephanie Kath-Schorr; Malte C Gather

doi:10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c00078

DNA Sensing with Whispering Gallery Mode Microlasers

Soraya Caixeiro, Robert Dörrenhaus, Anna Popczyk, Marcel Schubert, Stephanie Kath-Schorr, Malte C Gather

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Nucleic acid sensing is crucial for advancing diagnostics, therapeutic monitoring, and molecular biology research by enabling the precise identification of DNA and RNA interactions. Here, we present an innovative sensing platform based on DNA-functionalized whispering gallery mode (WGM) microlasers. By correlating spectral shifts in laser emission to changes in the refractive index, we demonstrate real-time detection of DNA hybridization and structural changes. The addition of gold nanoparticles to the DNA strands significantly enhances sensitivity, and exclusively labeling the sensing strand or a hairpin strand eliminates the need for secondary labeling of the target strand. We further show that ionic strength influences DNA compactness, and we introduce a hairpin-based system as a dual-purpose sensor and controlled release mechanism for drug delivery. This versatile WGM-based platform offers promise for sequence-specific nucleic acid sensing, multiplexed detection, and in vivo applications in diagnostics and cellular research.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	4467-4475
Number of pages	9
Journal	Nano Letters
Volume	25
Issue number	11
Early online date	4 Mar 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c00078 https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c00078
Publication status	Published - 19 Mar 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.

Data Availability Statement

The research data underpinning this publication can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.15125/BATH-01497 (ref 53).

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Prof. Jan Riemer for fruitful discussions.

Funding

The authors thank Prof. Jan Riemer for fruitful discussions. This work received financial support from the Humboldt Foundation (Alexander von Humboldt professorship to M.C.G.).

Funders	Funder number
Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung
Alexander von Humboldt professorship

Keywords

DNA hybridization
DNA sensing
hairpin substitution
microlasers
nucleic acid sensing
oligonucleotides
whispering gallery modes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Bioengineering
General Chemistry
General Materials Science
Condensed Matter Physics
Mechanical Engineering

Access to Document

10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c00078Licence: CC BY
10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c00078Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "DNA Sensing with Whispering Gallery Mode Microlasers",

abstract = "Nucleic acid sensing is crucial for advancing diagnostics, therapeutic monitoring, and molecular biology research by enabling the precise identification of DNA and RNA interactions. Here, we present an innovative sensing platform based on DNA-functionalized whispering gallery mode (WGM) microlasers. By correlating spectral shifts in laser emission to changes in the refractive index, we demonstrate real-time detection of DNA hybridization and structural changes. The addition of gold nanoparticles to the DNA strands significantly enhances sensitivity, and exclusively labeling the sensing strand or a hairpin strand eliminates the need for secondary labeling of the target strand. We further show that ionic strength influences DNA compactness, and we introduce a hairpin-based system as a dual-purpose sensor and controlled release mechanism for drug delivery. This versatile WGM-based platform offers promise for sequence-specific nucleic acid sensing, multiplexed detection, and in vivo applications in diagnostics and cellular research.",

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author = "Soraya Caixeiro and Robert D{\"o}rrenhaus and Anna Popczyk and Marcel Schubert and Stephanie Kath-Schorr and Gather, \{Malte C\}",

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doi = "10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c00078",

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T1 - DNA Sensing with Whispering Gallery Mode Microlasers

AU - Caixeiro, Soraya

AU - Dörrenhaus, Robert

AU - Popczyk, Anna

AU - Schubert, Marcel

AU - Kath-Schorr, Stephanie

AU - Gather, Malte C

PY - 2025/3/19

Y1 - 2025/3/19

N2 - Nucleic acid sensing is crucial for advancing diagnostics, therapeutic monitoring, and molecular biology research by enabling the precise identification of DNA and RNA interactions. Here, we present an innovative sensing platform based on DNA-functionalized whispering gallery mode (WGM) microlasers. By correlating spectral shifts in laser emission to changes in the refractive index, we demonstrate real-time detection of DNA hybridization and structural changes. The addition of gold nanoparticles to the DNA strands significantly enhances sensitivity, and exclusively labeling the sensing strand or a hairpin strand eliminates the need for secondary labeling of the target strand. We further show that ionic strength influences DNA compactness, and we introduce a hairpin-based system as a dual-purpose sensor and controlled release mechanism for drug delivery. This versatile WGM-based platform offers promise for sequence-specific nucleic acid sensing, multiplexed detection, and in vivo applications in diagnostics and cellular research.

AB - Nucleic acid sensing is crucial for advancing diagnostics, therapeutic monitoring, and molecular biology research by enabling the precise identification of DNA and RNA interactions. Here, we present an innovative sensing platform based on DNA-functionalized whispering gallery mode (WGM) microlasers. By correlating spectral shifts in laser emission to changes in the refractive index, we demonstrate real-time detection of DNA hybridization and structural changes. The addition of gold nanoparticles to the DNA strands significantly enhances sensitivity, and exclusively labeling the sensing strand or a hairpin strand eliminates the need for secondary labeling of the target strand. We further show that ionic strength influences DNA compactness, and we introduce a hairpin-based system as a dual-purpose sensor and controlled release mechanism for drug delivery. This versatile WGM-based platform offers promise for sequence-specific nucleic acid sensing, multiplexed detection, and in vivo applications in diagnostics and cellular research.

KW - DNA hybridization

KW - DNA sensing

KW - hairpin substitution

KW - microlasers

KW - nucleic acid sensing

KW - oligonucleotides

KW - whispering gallery modes

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105001063412

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VL - 25

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EP - 4475

JO - Nano Letters

JF - Nano Letters

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ER -

DNA Sensing with Whispering Gallery Mode Microlasers

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Acknowledgements

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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Dataset for "DNA Sensing with Whispering Gallery Mode Microlaser"

Cite this

DNA Sensing with Whispering Gallery Mode Microlasers

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Acknowledgements

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Datasets

Dataset for "DNA Sensing with Whispering Gallery Mode Microlaser"

Cite this