A compact three-way junction oligonucleotide probe for widefield and super-resolution imaging of RNAs and proteins

A compact three-way junction (3WJ) oligonucleotide probe platform enables sensitive multiscale RNA and protein imaging while retaining nanoscale pattern resolution.

• Why it matters: Weak or low-abundance targets often require amplification that can enlarge labels, raise background, and blur super-resolution organization.
• What they did: The platform uses paired target recognition with junction assembly to recruit preassembled amplifier complexes, with tunable amplification; it was tested with DNA origami and single-molecule localization microscopy, plus cell and FFPE tissue imaging.
• The result: It enhances RNA detection, supports simultaneous RNA–protein super-resolution imaging in cells, and improves protein detection in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues under low-numerical-aperture, large-field conditions.

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