Detection of the mature, but not precursor, RNA using a fluorescent DNA probe.

Fluorescently labelled oligonucleotide probes have been widely used in biotechnology and diagnostic field. We improved the molecular beacon probe to detect the mature, but not precursor, RNA selectively. Based on the principle that a kind of fluorophore can be quenched by adjacent guanine base, therefore, the noise fluorescence caused by the false targets can be avoided. As an example, we designed the probe for the selective detection of a mature microRNA (miRNA). We demonstrate that the probe detects mature miRNA with high specificity. Since the probe itself does not fluoresce but becomes fluorescent upon hybridization to the mature target RNA, it provides a quick and selective way for detection of various forms of RNAs.