Fig. 11.

Fluorescence response of SMG4.2T components Assembled Piecewise. The fluorescence results of SMG4.2T (at 1 µM) encompassing the MG in the absence of any sensor strands (Dye), each component singular (NC-45 through 42B) or in combination. As can be seen, no component of the sensor induced fluorescence of MG above the background elevation that occurs via non-specific interactions with DNA. The presence of SMG4.2AT and NC-45 is sufficient to increase the fluorescence of MG by 5-fold with no observable increase when both halves of the SMG4.2T are present. Structural analysis via NUPACK of the SMG4.2AT in the absence (center) and presence of NC-45 (right) are shown on right side of the image. In the absence of NC-45, SMG4.2AT exhibits a tightly folded secondary structure with the core sequence derived from the MG aptamer (highlighted red) occluded by unintended hybridization with the analyte binding arm. In the presence of NC-45, hybridization of the analyte binding arm to the NC-45 liberates this sequence which is sufficient to produce detectable fluorescence. The above graph is the average of 3 independent trials and was processed on Microsoft Excel. Fluorescence was recorded at 658 nm with an excitation at 617 nm.