Nanoreactors based on DNAzyme-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles activated by magnetic field

A new biomimetic nanoreactor design, MaBiDz, is presented based on a copolymer brush in combination with superparamagnetic nanoparticles. This cellular nanoreactor features two species of magnetic particles, each functionalized with two components of a binary deoxyribozyme system. In the presence of a target mRNA analyte and a magnetic field, the nanoreactor is assembled to form a biocompartment enclosed by the polymeric brush that enables catalytic function of the binary deoxyribozyme with enhanced kinetics. MaBiDz was demonstrated here as a cellular sensor for rapid detection and imaging of a target mRNA biomarker for metastatic breast cancer, and its function shows potential to be expanded as a biomimetic organelle that can downregulate the activity of a target mRNA biomarker.