Transcription of Unnatural Fluorescent Nucleotides and their Application with Graphene Oxide for the Simple and Direct Detection of miRNA

In this study we synthesized two differently sized fluorescent RNA nucleotides, rUthioTP and rUpyrTP, and examined their transcription ability using T7 RNA polymerase. The smaller rUthioTP could be incorporated and extended to produce a corresponding RNA sequence, but rUpyrTP could not. We then used this rUthioTP-containing fluorogenic transcription system, in conjunction with graphene oxide(GO), for the detection of miRNA 146a with high sensitivity and selectivity. This combination of a transcribed RNA product and GO is a simple in situ probing system for the detection of miRNA 146a—one that is less time consuming and more cost-effective.