Fluorometric broad-range screening of compounds with affinity for nucleic acids

The potential of a nucleic acid-based optical bioprobe for environmental measurements and drug monitoring is described. The sensor employs the long-wavelength intercalating fluorophore TO-PRO-3 (TP3). Compounds that interact with the TP3-DNA complex are indirectly detected by a decrease in the fluorescence intensity. We found that the configuration and length of the DNA dramatically affected the intensity of the fluorescence emitted from the TP3-DNA complex. We compared nucleic acids from different sources and optimized the system for pBR322 plasmid DNA (4363 bp) digested by HindIII restriction endonuclease. This endonuclease has a single recognition site in plasmid pBR322. In the proposed method, we attempt to combine broad-range detection with rapid and simple operation. A fiber-optic capillary fluorescence system was used to analyze toxic aromatic amines, antibiotics, and several kinds of antitumor drugs, using small amounts of sample, down to 10 muL, with a sensitivity comparable to that of current electrochemical methods. The detection limit can be as low as a few ppb or submicromolar. This approach is useful for routine screening in environmental monitoring or for controlling cytotoxic drug administration. The ease of operation and the rapid response allow high-throughput screening.