DNA clamp to grab cancer before it develops

DNA clamp to grab cancer before it develops
As part of an international research project, a team of researchers has developed a DNA clamp that can detect mutations at the DNA level with greater efficiency than methods currently in use. Their work could facilitate rapid screening of those diseases that have a genetic basis, such as cancer, and provide new tools for more advanced nanotechnology. The results of this research is published this month in the journal ACS Nano.

Source and further reading:
http://phys.org/news/2013-12-dna-clamp-cancer.html

Reference:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24219761

Image: The research team took advantage of the ability of certain DNA sequences to form a triple helix, in order to develop a DNA clamp. This nanometer-scale clamp recognizes and binds DNA sequences more strongly and more specifically, allowing the development of more effective diagnostic.
Credit: Marco Tripodi