Linked bridge hybridizing-induced split G-quadruplex DNA machine and its application to uracil-DNA glycosylase detection

As one of the DNA damage repair enzymes, uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) plays an important role in maintaining genomic integrity. By linked bridge hybridizing-induced split G-quadruplex (SQ), we demonstrate here the construction of a simple and sensitive DNA machine for the detection of UDG activity. The satisfactory split G-quadruplex sequences (SQS) were successfully selected to be the ingredients of SQ formation. In this work, UDG recognized and removed the uracil bases from the stem of hairpin DNA (HP). And then, HP with a low melting temperature hybridized with designed SQS, forming a three-way DNA structure with an SQ. With the addition of Thioflavin T, a dramatical enhancement of fluorescence intensity was presented due to the G-quadruplex/Thioflavin T complex formation. The detection limit was as low as 7.8 × 10−3 U/mL. And we also successfully investigated the performance of UDG activity in the HeLa cell lysate. This optical DNA machine with the merits of being simple, rapid, and economical was flexibly suitable for not only active UDG assay but also diverse target detection by adjusting the recognition region of the HP.