To tackle the issue of identifying microRNAs (miRNAs) in plants, a novel microfluidic device system has been developed.
The system focuses on detecting miR399, which is a biomarker for phosphorus deficiency stress. The device employed micro-flow channels to immobilize DNA on glass surfaces, facilitating the creation of DNA-probed areas for miRNA detection through sandwich hybridization. The method detected artificially synthesized miR399c, demonstrating the device’s high specificity in identifying miRNA presence, even at low concentrations. Further experiments validated the device’s effectiveness in detecting miR399c within tomato leaf extracts.
Enhancements were made through the use of RNase inhibitors, DTT buffers, and size-fraction filtration to improve detection sensitivity.
https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/plantphenomics.0162
