Thursday, 30th March 2006 (4698 views)

A system is being developed by scientists in the US whereby gold nanoparticles could help to quickly identify potential anti-cancer drugs.

The system, developed by researchers at Northwestern University, Illinois, is known as colorimetric screening and works by revealing a colour change when targets such as molecules bind to DNA.

Professor Chad A Mirkin, who led the study, pointed out that pharmaceutical companies need to identify small molecules that selectively attach themselves to DNA "to turn on or off the gene expression related to a particular disease".

He continued: "Our method, which is simpler, faster and more convenient than conventional methods, should help researchers zero in on potential anti-cancer agents from their large libraries of candidates more quickly."

Gold nanoparticles are used because of the metal's intense colour when measured on the scale of atoms. Gold particles just 13 nanometres across are held together in a "triple helix" form of DNA. At this stage they are blue.

However, when the solution is heated and the DNA breaks apart the gold particles move away from one another and turn bright red.

 

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