Dots detect DNA.(Eureka: Emerging Technologies)(Johns Hopkins University's research of nucleotide sequencing)(Brief Article)

R & D, January, 2006

A new method of finding specific sequences of DNA has been developed by researchers from Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, Md. Two DNA probes seek out and bond to the target strands of DNA and then attach to a quantum dot. When a laser illuminates the sample, the quantum dot transfers energy to the DNA probes, which light up through a process called fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). This technique can also be used to detect genetic defects and mutations.

* More info: www.jhu.edu