Biophysical and electrochemical studies of protein-nucleic acid interactions

This review is devoted to biophysical and electrochemical methods used for studying protein-nucleic acid (NA) interactions. The importance of NA structure and protein-NA recognition for essential cellular processes, such as replication or transcription, is discussed to provide background for description of a range of biophysical chemistry methods that are applied to study a wide scope of protein-DNA and protein-RNA complexes. These techniques employ different detection principles with specific advantages and limitations and are often combined as mutually complementary approaches to provide a complete description of the interactions. Electrochemical methods have proven to be of great utility in such studies because they provide sensitive measurements and can be combined with other approaches that facilitate the protein-NA interactions. Recent applications of electrochemical methods in studies of protein-NA interactions are discussed in detail

Enzyme-linked Electrochemical Detection of DNA Hybridization at the Surface of Pencil Graphite Electrode

33rd International Conference on Modern Electrochemical Methods -- MAY 20-24, 2013 -- Jetrichovice, CZECH REPUBLICWOS: 000340626800047Enzyme-linked electrochemical detection systems proved to be potent tools for various bioassay, including DNA hybridization assays and immunoassays. Previously we presented a simple technique using target DNA adsorbed on pyrolytic graphite electrode surface and biotinylated oligonucleotide probe to which alkaline phosphatase was attached via streptavidine linker. Here we used analogous system in combination with disposable pencil graphite electrodes. We demonstrate a facile and reproducible detection of DNA hybridization in a wide range of target concentrations using natural PCR-amplified DNA targets.AS CR, v v i, J Heyrovsky Inst Phys Chem, AS CR, v v i, Inst Biophys, UNESCO Lab Environm Electrochemistry, Int Soc Electrochemistry, Metrohm Ceska Republika, IBPGACRGrant Agency of the Czech Republic [P206/12/2378, P206/11/P739]; Tubitak-AV CRc [111T050]Tato prace vzniklas podporou projektu GACR (P206/12/2378, P206/11/P739) a mezinarodniho projektu Tubitak-AV CRc. 111T050