Gold nanorods-based FRET assay for ultrasensitive detection of DNA methylation and DNA methyltransferase activity

Abstract

A fluorescence method for the detection of DNA methylation and the assay of methyltransferase activity is proposed using gold nanorods as a fluorescence quencher on the basis of fluorescence resonance energy transfer. It is demonstrated that this method is capable of detecting methyltransferase with a detection limit of 0.25 U mL⁻¹, which might make this method a good candidate for monitoring DNA methylation in the future.