Sensors using DNA charge transport

Many expts. have now shown that double helical DNA can serve as a conduit for efficient charge transport over long mol. distances. This chem. is exquisitely sensitive to perturbations in the DNA base stack, such as arise with base mismatches, lesions, and protein binding. We describe how this chem. may be applied in constructing DNA-based electrochem. sensors for DNA-binding proteins and lesions. For example, using a two electrode multiplexed platform, human DNMT1 methyltransferase activity is easily detected from crude cell lysates. The effect of magnetic fields on DNA charge transport chem. has also been explored. These results point to sensitive mechanisms to consider in sensing magnetic fields.