RNA purification is a critical need in biomedical research. The development of tools for analyzing structure, function and chemical modifications of RNA have outpaced those for RNA purification. The DNA nanoswitch method is a new “catch and release” approach for targeted purification of specific RNA sequences from complex mixtures. Capture of a target RNA reconfigures the DNA nanoswitch from the linear “off” state to the looped “on” state. The RNA bound to the nanoswitch can be quantified and isolated to obtain pure RNA of a single sequence. The method is useful in purifying specific microRNAs, ribosomal RNAs and mRNAs from cellular total RNA extracts.
Keywords: DNA nanoswitches; RNA modification; mRNA; microRNA; purification; ribosomal RNA.