Fluorescence Sensing With Functional Nucleic Acids

Increased recognition of the capability of nucleic acids beyond their roles in genetic information storage and transmission has come in large part from the discovery of a large number of synthetic functional nucleic acids (FNAs) and their applications as molecular tools. Engineering biosensors with FNAs have become a very active and fruitful research field. Fluorescence sensing mechanisms are well suited for FNAs mostly because it is easy to couple signal production based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer to target-induced structural changes of FNAs. In this chapter, we will discuss various examples of fluorescent biosensors engineered on the basis of this principle.