Photocatalytic Duplex-Based DNAzymes Switched by an Abasic Site

DNAzymes have attracted increasing interest in developments of gene tools, therapies, and biosensors. Among them, G-quadruplexes are widely used as the key structure elements to activate catalytic competency specific cofactors, such hemin, but there is a great demand diversify using other more straightforward DNA structures fully matched duplex (FM-DNA). However, perfect base pairs limit DNAzyme activity. In this work, photocatalytic was developed by introducing an abasic site (AP site) into (AP-DNA) switch its Palmatine (PAL), photosensitizer from natural isoquinoline alkaloids, served cofactor binding at AP site. The provides less polarized environment favor PAL fluorescence. As result, dissolved oxygen converted singlet (1O2) via energy transfer excited PAL. oxidation substrates situ photogenerated 1O2 readout for DNAzyme. addition, duplex-based engineered FM-DNA cascade uracil-DNA glycosylase generate AP-DNA. Our work new way construct DNAzymes.