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Silver Nanoclusters for RNA Nanotechnology: Steps Towards Visualization and Tracking of RNA Nanoparticle Assemblies

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RNA Nanotechnology and Therapeutics

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1297))

Abstract

The growing interest in designing functionalized, RNA-based nanoparticles (NPs) for applications such as cancer therapeutics requires simple, efficient assembly assays. Common methods for tracking RNA assemblies such as native polyacrylamide gels and atomic force microscopy are often time-intensive and, therefore, undesirable. Here we describe a technique for rapid analysis of RNA NP assembly stages using the formation of fluorescent silver nanoclusters (Ag NCs). This method exploits the single-stranded specificity and sequence dependence of Ag NC formation to produce unique optical readouts for each stage of RNA NP assembly, obtained readily after synthesis.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported [in part] by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research. This research was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research (to BAS). The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the US Government. This research was also supported by NIH grant no. R01GM-079604 (to LJ) and by NSF grants CHE-1213895 and CHE-0848375 (to EG).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Center for Cancer Research Nanobiology Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA

      Kirill A. Afonin

    2. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-9510, USA

      Danielle Schultz & Luc Jaeger

    3. Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106-9510, USA

      Elisabeth Gwinn

    4. Center for Cancer Research Nanobiology Program, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Building 469, Room 150A, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA

      Bruce A. Shapiro

    Authors
    1. Kirill A. Afonin
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    2. Danielle Schultz
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    3. Luc Jaeger
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    4. Elisabeth Gwinn
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    5. Bruce A. Shapiro
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    Corresponding authors

    Correspondence to Luc Jaeger , Elisabeth Gwinn or Bruce A. Shapiro .

    Editor information

    Editors and Affiliations

    1. Nanobiotechnology Center, Markey Cancer Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

      Peixuan Guo

    2. Nanobiotechnology Center, Markey Cancer Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

      Farzin Haque

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    Afonin, K.A., Schultz, D., Jaeger, L., Gwinn, E., Shapiro, B.A. (2015). Silver Nanoclusters for RNA Nanotechnology: Steps Towards Visualization and Tracking of RNA Nanoparticle Assemblies. In: Guo, P., Haque, F. (eds) RNA Nanotechnology and Therapeutics. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1297. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2562-9_4

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2562-9_4

    • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

    • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-2561-2

    • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-2562-9

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