Light-up split Broccoli aptamer as a versatile tool for RNA assembly monitoring in cell-free TX-TL system, hybrid RNA/DNA origami tagging and DNA biosensing

Abstract

Binary light-up aptamers are intriguing and emerging tools with potential in different fields. Herein, we demonstrate the versatility of a split Broccoli aptamer system able to turn on the fluorescence signal only in the presence of a complementary sequence. First, an RNA three-way junction harbouring the split system was assembled in an E. coli based cell-free TX-TL system where the folding of the functional aptamer is demonstrated. Then, the same strategy is introduced into a bio-orthogonal hybrid RNA/DNA rectangle origami characterized by atomic force microscopy: the activation of the split system through the origami self-assembly is demonstrated. Finally, our system is successfully used to detect femtomoles of a Campylobacter spp. DNA target sequence. Potential applications of our system include real-time monitoring of the self-assembly of nucleic acid-based devices in vivo and of intracellular delivery of therapeutic nanostructures, as well as in vitro and in vivo detection of different DNA/RNA target.