Abstract: A nanoparticle (for example, quantum dot) serves as a substrate for immobilizing enzymes involved in consecutive reactions as a cascade. This results in a significant increase in the rate of catalysis as well as final product yield compared to non-immobilized enzymes.

Abstract: Time-resolved nucleic acids include a long-lifetime FRET donor with an emission lifetime of at least one millisecond (such as a terbium complex), configured as a donor in a first FRET process, and at least one fluorescent dye with an emission lifetime of less than 100 nanoseconds configured as an acceptor in the FRET process. They can be configured as photonic wires, hybridization probes or beacons, and/or systems for computing logical operations.

Abstract: Time-resolved nucleic acids include a long-lifetime FRET donor with an emission lifetime of at least one millisecond (such as a terbium complex), configured as a donor in a first FRET process, and at least one fluorescent dye with an emission lifetime of less than 100 nanoseconds configured as an acceptor in the FRET process. They can be configured as photonic wires, hybridization probes or beacons, and/or systems for computing logical operations.

Abstract: The stiffness and topology of ultra-small circular DNAs and DNA/peptide hybrids are exploited to create a transducer of enzyme activity with low error rates. The modularity and flexibility of the concept are illustrated by demonstrating various transducers that respond to either specific restriction endonucleases or to specific proteases. In all cases the output is a DNA oligo signal that, as we show, can readily be converted directly to an optical readout, or can serve as input for further processing, for example, using DNA logic or amplification. By exploiting the DNA hairpin (or stem-loop) structure and the phenomenon of strand displacement, an enzyme signal is converted into a DNA signal, in the manner of a transducer. This is valuable because a DNA signal can be readily amplified, combined, and processed as information.

Abstract: The stiffness and topology of ultra-small circular DNAs and DNA/peptide hybrids are exploited to create a transducer of enzyme activity with low error rates. The modularity and flexibility of the concept are illustrated by demonstrating various transducers that respond to either specific restriction endonucleases or to specific proteases. In all cases the output is a DNA oligo signal that, as we show, can readily be converted directly to an optical readout, or can serve as input for further processing, for example, using DNA logic or amplification. By exploiting the DNA hairpin (or stem-loop) structure and the phenomenon of strand displacement, an enzyme signal is converted into a DNA signal, in the manner of a transducer. This is valuable because a DNA signal can be readily amplified, combined, and processed as information.

Abstract: The stiffness and topology of ultra-small circular DNAs and DNA/peptide hybrids are exploited to create a transducer of enzyme activity with low error rates. The modularity and flexibility of the concept are illustrated by demonstrating various transducers that respond to either specific restriction endonucleases or to specific proteases. In all cases the output is a DNA oligo signal that, as we show, can readily be converted directly to an optical readout, or can serve as input for further processing, for example, using DNA logic or amplification. By exploiting the DNA hairpin (or stem-loop) structure and the phenomenon of strand displacement, an enzyme signal is converted into a DNA signal, in the manner of a transducer. This is valuable because a DNA signal can be readily amplified, combined, and processed as information.

Abstract: The stiffness and topology of ultra-small circular DNAs and DNA/peptide hybrids are exploited to create a transducer of enzyme activity with low error rates. The modularity and flexibility of the concept are illustrated by demonstrating various transducers that respond to either specific restriction endonucleases or to specific proteases. In all cases the output is a DNA oligo signal that, as we show, can readily be converted directly to an optical readout, or can serve as input for further processing, for example, using DNA logic or amplification. By exploiting the DNA hairpin (or stem-loop) structure and the phenomenon of strand displacement, an enzyme signal is converted into a DNA signal, in the manner of a transducer. This is valuable because a DNA signal can be readily amplified, combined, and processed as information.

Abstract: The stiffness and topology of ultra-small circular DNAs and DNA/peptide hybrids are exploited to create a transducer of enzyme activity with low error rates. The modularity and flexibility of the concept are illustrated by demonstrating various transducers that respond to either specific restriction endonucleases or to specific proteases. In all cases the output is a DNA oligo signal that, as we show, can readily be converted directly to an optical readout, or can serve as input for further processing, for example, using DNA logic or amplification By exploiting the DNA hairpin (or stem-loop) structure and the phenomenon of strand displacement, an enzyme signal is converted into a DNA signal, in the manner of a transducer. This is valuable because a DNA signal can be readily amplified, combined, and processed as information.

Abstract: The stiffness and topology of ultra-small circular DNAs and DNA/peptide hybrids are exploited to create a transducer of enzyme activity with low error rates. The modularity and flexibility of the concept are illustrated by demonstrating various transducers that respond to either specific restriction endonucleases or to specific proteases. In all cases the output is a DNA oligo signal that, as we show, can readily be converted directly to an optical readout, or can serve as input for further processing, for example, using DNA logic or amplification By exploiting the DNA hairpin (or stem-loop) structure and the phenomenon of strand displacement, an enzyme signal is converted into a DNA signal, in the manner of a transducer. This is valuable because a DNA signal can be readily amplified, combined, and processed as information.

Abstract: Time-resolved nucleic acids include a long-lifetime FRET donor with an emission lifetime of at least one millisecond (such as a terbium complex), configured as a donor in a first FRET process, and at least one fluorescent dye with an emission lifetime of less than 100 nanoseconds configured as an acceptor in the FRET process. They can be configured as photonic wires, hybridization probes or beacons, and/or systems for computing logical operations.

Abstract: Time-resolved nucleic acids include a long-lifetime FRET donor with an emission lifetime of at least one millisecond (such as a terbium complex), configured as a donor in a first FRET process, and at least one fluorescent dye with an emission lifetime of less than 100 nanoseconds configured as an acceptor in the FRET process. They can be configured as photonic wires, hybridization probes or beacons, and/or systems for computing logical operations.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing chemielectric point-sensor systems with increased sensitivity and increased selectivity. The chemielectric sensor system includes a sensor/heater assembly, where the sensor is a chemielectric sensor whose resistance or capacitance changes upon exposure to chemical analytes. The heater functionality applies a programmed sequence of one or more thermal pulses to the sensor to quickly raise its temperature. After each thermal pulse ends the change in resistivity of the sensor is measured. Such data as a function of the pulse time and temperature are recorded and analyzed to determine the chemical composition (selectivity) and concentrations in the ambient vapor by comparison to a library dataset. The sensor operation with fast thermal pulses also allows operation at higher frequencies where the noise is lower and hence sensitivity is improved.

Abstract: Time-resolved nucleic acids include a long-lifetime FRET donor with an emission lifetime of at least one millisecond (such as a terbium complex), configured as a donor in a first FRET process, and at least one fluorescent dye with an emission lifetime of less than 100 nanoseconds configured as an acceptor in the FRET process. They can be configured as photonic wires, hybridization probes or beacons, and/or systems for computing logical operations.

Abstract: The invention relates to a nanoscale antenna including a nucleic acid scaffold having a structure selected from the group consisting of a Holliday junction, a star, and a dendrimer; and a plurality of fluorophores attached to the scaffold and configured as a FRET cascade comprising at least three different types of fluorophores including at least one quantum dot, arranged with (a) a plurality of initial donor fluorophores fixed in exterior positions on the structure, (b) a terminal acceptor fluorophore fixed in a central position on the structure, and (c) a plurality of intermediate fluorophores fixed in positions on the scaffold between the initial acceptor fluorophores and the terminal acceptor fluorophores.

Abstract: The invention relates to a nanoscale antenna including a nucleic acid scaffold having a structure selected from the group consisting of a Holliday junction, a star, and a dendrimer; and a plurality of fluorophores attached to the scaffold and configured as a FRET cascade comprising at least three different types of fluorophores including at least one quantum dot, arranged with (a) a plurality of initial donor fluorophores fixed in exterior positions on the structure, (b) a terminal acceptor fluorophore fixed in a central position on the structure, and (c) a plurality of intermediate fluorophores fixed in positions on the scaffold between the initial acceptor fluorophores and the terminal acceptor fluorophores.

Abstract: A nanoparticle (for example, quantum dot) serves as a substrate for immobilizing enzymes involved in consecutive reactions as a cascade. This results in a significant increase in the rate of catalysis as well as final product yield compared to non-immobilized enzymes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a nanoscale antenna including a nucleic acid scaffold having a structure selected from the group consisting of a Holliday junction, a star, and a dendrimer; and a plurality of fluorophores attached to the scaffold and configured as a FRET cascade comprising at least three different types of fluorophores, arranged with (a) a plurality of initial donor fluorophores fixed in exterior positions on the structure, (b) a terminal acceptor fluorophore fixed in a central position on the structure, and (c) a plurality of intermediate fluorophores fixed in positions on the scaffold between the initial acceptor fluorophores and the terminal acceptor fluorophores.

Abstract: Time-resolved nucleic acids include a long-lifetime FRET donor with an emission lifetime of at least one millisecond (such as a terbium complex), configured as a donor in a first FRET process, and at least one fluorescent dye with an emission lifetime of less than 100 nanoseconds configured as an acceptor in the FRET process. They can be configured as photonic wires, hybridization probes or beacons, and/or systems for computing logical operations.

Abstract: The invention relates to a nanoscale antenna including a nucleic acid scaffold having a structure selected from the group consisting of a Holliday junction, a star, and a dendrimer; and a plurality of fluorophores attached to the scaffold and configured as a FRET cascade comprising at least three different types of fluorophores, arranged with (a) a plurality of initial donor fluorophores fixed in exterior positions on the structure, (b) a terminal acceptor fluorophore fixed in a central position on the structure, and (c) a plurality of intermediate fluorophores fixed in positions on the scaffold between the initial acceptor fluorophores and the terminal acceptor fluorophores.

Abstract: A molecular concentrator comprising a thermal ratchet for driving molecules from one place to another. A plurality of linear, two-dimensional, and/or three-dimensional arrangements of heater structures are arranged on or suspended above a substrate. Each of the heater structures is configured to strongly sorb a vapor of interest when the heater structure is at room temperature and to rapidly desorb the vapor when the heater structure is at an elevated temperature. The vapor sorption of the individual heater structures is made selective by surface treatments, by monomolecular film depositions or by thicker absorbent polymer depositions. By selectively heating and cooling the heater structures, vapor molecules incident on the heater structures can be directed in a desired manner, e.g., from heater structures closest to a vapor-containing environment to a sensor.