Enzyme-triggered DNA nanomimosa: A ratiometric nanoprobe for RNase H activity sensing in living cells

Since ribonuclease H (RNase H) exhibits its importance in a variety of cellular processes. It is necessary to establish strategy for RNase H detection. In this work, we are enlightened by mimosa, a natural plant which can fold in response to stimuli, to construct a DNA tetrahedron-based nanoprobe, termed DNA nanomimosa, to sensing RNase H activity based on fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET). The DNA nanomimosa was self-assembled from four DNA chains and one RNA chain. One of the four DNA chains contains a FRET-paired fluorophores-labeled hairpin DNA structures which is unfolded by the RNA chain through hybridization. Without RNase H, the RNA chain separate the two FRET-paired fluorophores in hairpin DNA structure, giving a feeble FRET signal. However, the presence of RNase H can selectively digest the RNA strand in RNA/unfolded-hairpin DNA section, resulting in the hairpin DNA configuration changed from “unfolded” state to “folded” state and further turn on the FRET signal. The DNA nanomimosa can be applied to achieve the determination of RNase H activity by recording the emission intensity of donor and acceptor fluorophores. This strategy shows a low detection limit by 0.017 U/mL, good specificity, and distinct advantages like the self-delivery ability, good biocompatibility, and the capacity to minimize the effects of fluctuations. This design provides a potential application in ribonuclease research and could be expanded for other biomedical research and clinical diagnostics.