TokenRNA: A New Type of Sequence‐Specific, Label‐Free Fluorescent Biosensor for Folded RNA Molecules

Token RNA: We demonstrate a technique for sensitive, label-free, real-time sequence-specific recognition of prefolded RNA sequences. We use RNA biosensors designed to form an aptameric pocket for the fluorophore upon programmable, paranemic binding to prefolded analyte RNA sequences without the need for denaturation of the secondary structure of the target. We call these constructs “token RNAs”.