美国诺特丹大学(University of Notre Dame)的一个研究小组证实一种新的DNA检测方法很可能适合于很多实际应用。物理学家Carol Tanner和Steven Ruggiero领导该研究小组研究一种称作激光投射谱(laser transmission spectroscopy, LTS)的新技术的应用。LTS能够快速地测定悬浮液中纳米颗粒的大小、形状和数量。
根据这篇在线发表在开放存取的而且得到同行评鉴的国际期刊《PLoS ONE》上的新研究论文，该研究小组描述了他们如何利用LTS作为一种新的快速和定量检测物种特异性DNA的方法从而将一种入侵物种与一种亲缘关系密切的入侵姐妹种(sister species)区分开来。
研究得到诺特丹大学环境变化倡议组织(Environmental Change Initiative, ECI)的支持和合作。ECI科学家们正在使用环境DNA(environmental DNA, eDNA)作为监控北美五大湖(Great Lakes)区域亚洲鲤鱼的一部分。研究结果证实在实验室中LTS检测DNA的基本假设。
诺特丹大学研究小组指出LTS技术对于已经建立好的DNA检测技术有着很多优势。该技术是高度灵敏的，只需几秒钟就可从遗传学上记录物种存在与否。研究人员也觉得LTS技术将定是要比当前检测技术更加快速、实用和节约成本，最终可能达到比较高的灵敏度而不用需要聚合酶链式反应(polymerase chain reaction, PCR)来检测。
尽管当前的论文描述使用LTS检测侵入物种，但是诺特丹大学研究人员相信这种技术可能在检测人病原菌以及理解和指示诸如癌症之类的基因疾病方面也能作为一种重要的检测工具。(生物谷：towersimper编译)
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0029224
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Quantitative and Rapid DNA Detection by Laser Transmission Spectroscopy
Frank Li, Andrew R. Mahon, Matthew A. Barnes, Jeffery Feder, David M. Lodge, Ching-Ting Hwang, Robert Schafer, Steven T. Ruggiero, Carol E. Tanner
Laser transmission spectroscopy (LTS) is a quantitative and rapid in vitro technique for measuring the size, shape, and number of nanoparticles in suspension. Here we report on the application of LTS as a novel detection method for species-specific DNA where the presence of one invasive species was differentiated from a closely related invasive sister species. The method employs carboxylated polystyrene nanoparticles functionalized with short DNA fragments that are complimentary to a specific target DNA sequence. In solution, the DNA strands containing targets bind to the tags resulting in a sizable increase in the nanoparticle diameter, which is rapidly and quantitatively measured using LTS. DNA strands that do not contain the target sequence do not bind and produce no size change of the carboxylated beads. The results show that LTS has the potential to become a quantitative and rapid DNA detection method suitable for many real-world applications.
