Ultrasensitive Detection of microRNAs by Exponential Isothermal Amplification

Tiny amounts of a given miRNA (0.1 zmol) can be detected accurately and quantitatively by a real-time method based on an exponential amplification reaction (see picture). The proposed method has a wide dynamic range of more than 10 orders of magnitude, can be carried out within 30 minutes under isothermal conditions, and requires no modified DNA probes. It clearly discriminates miRNA sequences that differ by one base.