Nucleic Acid Based Nanoconstructs
for Environmental Analysis in Atypical
Contexts
Aditi Singhal, Kriti Kapil, Ankit Dodla, Sanjay Kumar and Bhaskar Datta
Abstract The use of biomolecules toward environmental analysis provides impressive advantages in terms of selectivity and efficiency. Proteins have served as the
classical choice of biomolecules in this regard partly due to their natural function as
strong and specific binding agents. Nevertheless, biomolecules are usually considered unsuitable for large-scale environmental applications due to their fragility and
cost. In this chapter, we first examine the emergence of nucleic acid based nanotechnology in the context of environmental analysis. Notably, the development of nucleic
acid aptamers, aptazymes, and nano-architectures has facilitated application as both
a receptor in biosensors as well as versatile scaffolds for engineering functional constructs. Further, we present a proof-of-concept of nucleic acid based nanoconstructs
as a reusable adsorbing agent. We have developed nucleic acid three-way junctionbased matrices that are capable of retrieval and reuse of a commonly used staining
agent. Immobilization of the nucleic acid architectures on magnetic nanoparticles
enables their reuse across samples. Inherent sophistication of biomolecules in general and nucleic acid based constructs, in particular, supports their deployment in
specialized applications at a smaller scale pertinent to individual human activity.
The perspective presented in this chapter is expected to encourage environmental
engineering in distinctive and atypical contexts.
Keywords Nucleic acids · Three-way junction · Magnetic nanoparticles · Dye
adsorption · Environmental analysis
A. Singhal · A. Dodla · S. Kumar · B. Datta
Department of Biological Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar,
Gujarat, India
K. Kapil · B. Datta (B)
Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, Gujarat,
India
e-mail: bdatta@iitgn.ac.in
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
L. Ledwani and J. S. Sangwai (eds.), Nanotechnology for Energy and Environmental
Engineering, Green Energy and Technology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-33774-2_25
577
for Environmental Analysis in Atypical
Contexts
Aditi Singhal, Kriti Kapil, Ankit Dodla, Sanjay Kumar and Bhaskar Datta
Abstract The use of biomolecules toward environmental analysis provides impressive advantages in terms of selectivity and efficiency. Proteins have served as the
classical choice of biomolecules in this regard partly due to their natural function as
strong and specific binding agents. Nevertheless, biomolecules are usually considered unsuitable for large-scale environmental applications due to their fragility and
cost. In this chapter, we first examine the emergence of nucleic acid based nanotechnology in the context of environmental analysis. Notably, the development of nucleic
acid aptamers, aptazymes, and nano-architectures has facilitated application as both
a receptor in biosensors as well as versatile scaffolds for engineering functional constructs. Further, we present a proof-of-concept of nucleic acid based nanoconstructs
as a reusable adsorbing agent. We have developed nucleic acid three-way junctionbased matrices that are capable of retrieval and reuse of a commonly used staining
agent. Immobilization of the nucleic acid architectures on magnetic nanoparticles
enables their reuse across samples. Inherent sophistication of biomolecules in general and nucleic acid based constructs, in particular, supports their deployment in
specialized applications at a smaller scale pertinent to individual human activity.
The perspective presented in this chapter is expected to encourage environmental
engineering in distinctive and atypical contexts.
Keywords Nucleic acids · Three-way junction · Magnetic nanoparticles · Dye
adsorption · Environmental analysis
A. Singhal · A. Dodla · S. Kumar · B. Datta
Department of Biological Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar,
Gujarat, India
K. Kapil · B. Datta (B)
Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, Gujarat,
India
e-mail: bdatta@iitgn.ac.in
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
L. Ledwani and J. S. Sangwai (eds.), Nanotechnology for Energy and Environmental
Engineering, Green Energy and Technology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-33774-2_25
577