Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were effectively dispersed and functionalized by wrapping with single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). The ssDNA-SWNTs attach strongly on glass substrate and easily form a uniform film, making it possible for electrochemical analysis and sensing. The film was fabricated into a working electrode, which exhibited good electrochemical voltammetric properties, such as fl...

The nucleoid-associated protein HU plays an important role in bacterial nucleoid organization and is involved in numerous processes including transposition, recombination and DNA repair. We show here that HU binds specifically DNA containing mismatched region longer than 3 bp as well as DNA bulges. HU binds single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) in a binding mode that is reminiscent but different from ear...

Replication protein A (RPA) is a ubiquitous eukaryotic single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding protein that serves to protect ssDNA from degradation and annealing, and as a template for recruitment of many downstream factors in virtually all DNA transactions in cell. During many of these transactions, DNA is tethered and is likely subject to force. Previous studies of RPA's binding behavior on ssDN...

A simple biomimetic mercury(II)-gated single nanochannel has been developed by incorporating a mercury(II) responsive single stranded DNA (ssDNA) with thymine-thymine (T-T) bases into a single polymetic nanochannel.

Bromacil is a widely used herbicide that is known to contaminate environmental systems. Due to the hazards it presents and inefficient detection methods, it is necessary to create a rapid and efficient sensing device. Towards this end, we have utilized a stringent in vitro selection method to identify single-stranded DNA molecular recognition elements (MRE) specific for bromacil. We have identi...

DNA is subject to oxidative damage due to radiation or by-products of cellular metabolism, thereby creating electron holes that migrate along the DNA stacks. A systematic computational analysis of the dependence of the electronic properties of nucleobase stacks on sequence and conformation was performed here, on the basis of single- and double-stranded homo-nucleobase stacks of 1-10 bases or 1-...

Molecular recognition elements (MREs) can be short sequences of single-stranded DNA, RNA, small peptides, or antibody fragments. They can bind to user-defined targets with high affinity and specificity. There has been an increasing interest in the identification and application of nucleic acid molecular recognition elements, commonly known as aptamers, since they were first described in 1990 by...

Processing of DNA in replication, repair and recombination pathways in cells of all organisms requires the participation of at least one major single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-binding protein. This protein protects ssDNA from nucleolytic damage, prevents hairpin formation and blocks DNA reannealing until the processing pathway is successfully completed. Many ssDNA-binding proteins interact physicall...

This is the first description of cultivated icosahedral single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) phages isolated on heterotrophic marine bacterioplankton and with Bacteroidetes hosts. None of the 8 phages stained well with DNA-binding stains, suggesting that in situ abundances of ssDNA phages are drastically underestimated using conventional methods for enumeration.