Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Detection of Nucleic Acids Exhibiting Sterically Accessible Guanines Using Ruthenium-Polypyridyl Reagents

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Martínez-Calvo, M.; Guerrini, L.; Rodríguez, J.; Álvarez Puebla, R. A.; Mascareñas, J. L. (2020), Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering Detection of Nucleic Acids exhibiting Sterically Accessible Guanines using Ruthenium-polypyridyl Reagents. J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 11: 7218–7223, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c02148. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with ACS Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived VersionsHere, we report the application of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy as a rapid and practical tool for assessing the formation of coordinative adducts between nucleic acid guanines and ruthenium polypyridyl reagents. The technology provides a practical approach for the wash-free and quick identification of nucleic acid structures exhibiting sterically accessible guanines. This is demonstrated for the detection of a quadruplex-forming sequence present in the promoter region of the c-myc oncogene, which exhibits a nonpaired, reactive guanine at a flanking position of the G-quartetsWe are thankful for the financial support from the Xunta de Galicia (Centro singular de investigación de Galicia accreditation 2019-2022, ED431G 2019/03) and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund – ERDF). We also acknowledge the support given by the Spanish Grant SAF2013-41943-R and SAF2016-76689-R, the Xunta de Galicia (Grants 2015-CP082, ED431C 2017/19,), the Spanish Ministry de Economia y Competitividad (CTQ2017-88648R and RYC-2016-20331), the Generalitat de Cataluña (2017SGR883), the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (2019PFR-URV-B2-02), the Universitat Rovira i Virgili and Banco Santander (2017EXIT-08), and the European Research Council (Advanced Grant No. 340055). M.M.-C. thanks the Ministerio de Economı́a y Competitividad for the Postdoctoral fellowship (IJCI-2014-19326) and the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and Ministerio de Universidades for the Distinguished Researcher contract “Beatriz Galindo” (BEAGAL18/00144). J.R. thanks Xunta de Galicia for her predoctoral fellowshipS

Extraordinarily transparent compact metallic metamaterials

The design of achromatic optical components requires materials with high transparency and low dispersion. We show that although metals are highly opaque, densely packed arrays of metallic nanoparticles can be more transparent to infrared radiation than dielectrics such as germanium, even when the arrays are over 75% metal by volume. Such arrays form effective dielectrics that are virtually dispersion-free over ultra-broadband ranges of wavelengths from microns up to millimeters or more. Furthermore, the local refractive indices may be tuned by altering the size, shape, and spacing of the nanoparticles, allowing the design of gradient-index lenses that guide and focus light on the microscale. The electric field is also strongly concentrated in the gaps between the metallic nanoparticles, and the simultaneous focusing and squeezing of the electric field produces strong ‘doubly-enhanced’ hotspots which could boost measurements made using infrared spectroscopy and other non-linear processes over a broad range of frequencies.Imperial College London | Ref. EP/L015579/1Ministerio de Economía | Ref. CTM2014-58481RMinisterio de Economía | Ref. CTM2017-84050RMinisterio de Economía | Ref. CTQ2017-88648RMinisterio de Economía | Ref. RYC-2015-19107Ministerio de Economía | Ref. RYC2016-20331Xunta de Galicia | Ref. EM2014/035Generalitat de Cataluña | Ref. 2017SGR883URV y Banco Santander | Ref. 2017EXIT-08URV | Ref. 2017PFR-URV_B2-02FEDER | Ref. EP/L024926/1US Air Force Office of Scientific Research | Ref. FA9550-17-1-0300Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas | Ref. INTRAMURALES 201750I03

Extraordinarily transparent compact metallic metamaterials

The design of achromatic optical components requires materials with high transparency and low dispersion. We show that although metals are highly opaque, densely packed arrays of metallic nanoparticles can be more transparent to infrared radiation than dielectrics such as germanium, even when the arrays are over 75% metal by volume. Such arrays form effective dielectrics that are virtually dispersion-free over ultra-broadband ranges of wavelengths from microns up to millimeters or more. Furthermore, the local refractive indices may be tuned by altering the size, shape, and spacing of the nanoparticles, allowing the design of gradient-index lenses that guide and focus light on the microscale. The electric field is also strongly concentrated in the gaps between the metallic nanoparticles, and the simultaneous focusing and squeezing of the electric field produces strong 'doubly-enhanced' hotspots which could boost measurements made using infrared spectroscopy and other non-linear processes over a broad range of frequencies

Enisamium Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 RNA Synthesis.

Pandemic SARS-CoV-2 causes a mild to severe respiratory disease called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). While control of the SARS-CoV-2 spread partly depends on vaccine-induced or naturally acquired protective herd immunity, antiviral strategies are still needed to manage COVID-19. Enisamium is an inhibitor of influenza A and B viruses in cell culture and clinically approved in countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. In vitro, enisamium acts through metabolite VR17-04 and inhibits the activity of the influenza A virus RNA polymerase. Here we show that enisamium can inhibit coronavirus infections in NHBE and Caco-2 cells, and the activity of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase in vitro. Docking and molecular dynamics simulations provide insight into the mechanism of action and indicate that enisamium metabolite VR17-04 prevents GTP and UTP incorporation. Overall, these results suggest that enisamium is an inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 RNA synthesis in vitro

Te enseño... en silencio: Escuchar sin palabras IV

La salud, como derecho fundamental de toda persona, adquiere una connotación especial cuando esa persona tiene una discapacidad. En las discapacidades sensoriales como la sordera puede haber dificultades intrínsecas de acceso a la información oral. El objetivo del proyecto es abordar la educación para la salud estableciendo medidas educativas sencillas pero ajustadas a las necesidades de cada tipo de discapacidad y los subgrupos que lo conforman, como es el caso de los sordomudos.Categoría: Trabajos de extensión.Facultad de Odontologí

Sonrisas deportivas: protectores bucales en las prácticas deportivas

Los traumatismos osteoperiodentales que afectan a los tejidos de sostén de las piezas dentarias permanentes, son lesiones cada vez más frecuentes en pacientes escolares. Representan la segunda causa de pérdida de éstas piezas luego de la caries dental. Una de las preocupaciones más notables son las lesiones ocurridas durante la práctica deportiva y un elemento esencial para prevenirlos es el protector bucal, dispositivo que colocado dentro de la cavidad bucal previene y reduce lesiones orales, que a menudo son irreversibles y pueden conducir a problemas funcionales, estéticos y psicológicos en los atletas. El objetivo del proyecto es promover la educación para la salud bucal y prevención de las lesiones orales frecuentes en los deportistas y la concientización del uso de protectores bucales en la práctica de diferentes deportes de contacto.Categoría: Trabajos de extensión.Facultad de Odontologí

Te enseño... en silencio: Escuchar sin palabras IV

La salud, como derecho fundamental de toda persona, adquiere una connotación especial cuando esa persona tiene una discapacidad. En las discapacidades sensoriales como la sordera puede haber dificultades intrínsecas de acceso a la información oral. El objetivo del proyecto es abordar la educación para la salud estableciendo medidas educativas sencillas pero ajustadas a las necesidades de cada tipo de discapacidad y los subgrupos que lo conforman, como es el caso de los sordomudos.Categoría: Trabajos de extensión.Facultad de Odontologí

Aprender a escuchar... en silencio

Objetivo general del proyecto: Promover la educación y atención primaria para la salud bucal por medio de la lengua de señas y oralidad en niños con capacidades diferentes (sordomudos) en dos escuelas para sordos e hipoacúsicos de la ciudad de La Plata.Facultad de Odontologí