Japan Science and Technology Agency

A School Corporation Kansai University

Kaori Okawa

Takashi Miyata

Tadashi Uragami

In one embodiment of the present application, a stimulus-responsive gel is disclosed with optical characteristic molecule introduced therein that is capable of easily and securely converting a volume change responding to external stimulus to optical data being easy to handle in the construction of sensor system; an external stimulus measuring apparatus making use of the same; and a method of measuring external stimulus therewith. A molecule having fluorescent chromophore or a molecule or a molecule capable of absorbing visible light or ultraviolet light is introduced in a stimulus-responsive gel so that the content of the molecule having fluorescent chromophore or the molecule or a molecule capable of absorbing visible light or ultraviolet light falls within such a range that the concentration of the molecule having fluorescent chromophore or a molecule or the molecule capable of absorbing visible light or ultraviolet light in the stimulus-responsive gel with optical characteristic molecule introduced therein is substantially proportional to the fluorescence intensity or absorbance of the visible light or ultraviolet light of the stimulus-responsive gel with optical characteristic molecule introduced therein.

Method of measuring external stimulus and volume change using stimulus-responsive gel comprising EDANS

The present invention provides a nucleic-acid-responsive gel which allows (i) a larger volumetric change through structural design, (ii) adjustment of its recognition ability to recognize a nucleic acid, (iii) improvement of sensitivity, and (iv) flexible design according to, e.g., a sequence of target DNA. The nucleic-acid-responsive gel includes a probe formed of two single-stranded nucleic acids which are hybridized with each other. The probe is fixed within a network structure of a polymer gel. The two single-stranded nucleic acids are bound reversibly with each other.

Growing community of inventors

Gifu, Japan

Kaori Okawa