1
|
Manea I, Casian M, Hosu-Stancioiu O, de-Los-Santos-Álvarez N, Lobo-Castañón MJ, Cristea C. A review on magnetic beads-based SELEX technologies: Applications from small to large target molecules. Anal Chim Acta 2024; 1297:342325. [PMID: 38438246 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2024.342325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
This review summarizes the stepwise strategy and key points for magnetic beads (MBs)-based aptamer selection which is suitable for isolating aptamers against small and large molecules via systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). Particularities, if any, are discussed according to the target size. Examples targeting small molecules (<1000 Da) such as xenobiotics, toxins, pesticides, herbicides, illegal additives, hormones, and large targets such as proteins (biomarkers, pathogens) are discussed and presented in tabular formats. Of special interest are the latest advances in more efficient alternatives, which are based on novel instrumentation, materials or microelectronics, such as fluorescence MBs-SELEX or microfluidic chip system-assisted MBs-SELEX. Limitations and perspectives of MBs-SELEX are also reviewed. Taken together, this review aims to provide practical insights into MBs-SELEX technologies and their ability to screen multiple potential aptamers against targets from small to large molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ioana Manea
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4 Pasteur Street, 400349, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Magdolna Casian
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4 Pasteur Street, 400349, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Departamento de Química Física y Analítica, Universidad de Oviedo, Av. Julián Clavería 8, 33006, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Oana Hosu-Stancioiu
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4 Pasteur Street, 400349, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| | - Noemí de-Los-Santos-Álvarez
- Departamento de Química Física y Analítica, Universidad de Oviedo, Av. Julián Clavería 8, 33006, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Av. de Roma s/n, 33011, Oviedo, Spain
| | - María Jesús Lobo-Castañón
- Departamento de Química Física y Analítica, Universidad de Oviedo, Av. Julián Clavería 8, 33006, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Av. de Roma s/n, 33011, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Cecilia Cristea
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 4 Pasteur Street, 400349, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Park KS, Park TI, Lee JE, Hwang SY, Choi A, Pack SP. Aptamers and Nanobodies as New Bioprobes for SARS-CoV-2 Diagnostic and Therapeutic System Applications. BIOSENSORS 2024; 14:146. [PMID: 38534253 DOI: 10.3390/bios14030146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
The global challenges posed by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic have underscored the critical importance of innovative and efficient control systems for addressing future pandemics. The most effective way to control the pandemic is to rapidly suppress the spread of the virus through early detection using a rapid, accurate, and easy-to-use diagnostic platform. In biosensors that use bioprobes, the binding affinity of molecular recognition elements (MREs) is the primary factor determining the dynamic range of the sensing platform. Furthermore, the sensitivity relies mainly on bioprobe quality with sufficient functionality. This comprehensive review investigates aptamers and nanobodies recently developed as advanced MREs for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic and therapeutic applications. These bioprobes might be integrated into organic bioelectronic materials and devices, with promising enhanced sensitivity and specificity. This review offers valuable insights into advancing biosensing technologies for infectious disease diagnosis and treatment using aptamers and nanobodies as new bioprobes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ki Sung Park
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-In Park
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Eon Lee
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Republic of Korea
| | - Seo-Yeong Hwang
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Republic of Korea
| | - Anna Choi
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Pil Pack
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hu C, Li S, Zhou J, Wei D, Liu X, Chen Z, Peng H, Liu X, Deng Y. In vitro SELEX and application of an African swine fever virus (ASFV) p30 protein specific aptamer. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4078. [PMID: 38374125 PMCID: PMC10876938 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53619-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The African swine fever virus (ASFV) has caused severe economic losses in the pig industry. To monitor ASFV spread, the p30 protein has been identified as an ideal infection marker due to its early and long-term expression during the ASFV infection period. Timely monitoring of ASFV p30 enables the detection of ASFV infection and assessment of disease progression. Aptamers are an outstanding substitute for antibodies to develop an efficient tool for ASFV p30 protein detection. In this study, a series of aptamer candidates were screened by in vitro magnetic bead-based systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (MB-SELEX). An aptamer (Atc-20) finally showed high specificity and affinity (Kd = 140 ± 10 pM) against ASFV p30 protein after truncation and affinity assessment. Furthermore, an aptamer/antibody heterogeneous sandwich detection assay was designed based on Atc20, achieving a linear detection of ASFV p30 ranging from 8 to 125 ng/ml and a detection limit (LOD) of 0.61 ng/ml. This assay showed good analytical performances and effectively detected p30 protein in diluted serum samples, presenting promising potential for the development of ASFV biosensors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Changchun Hu
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials and Devices, Hunan University of Technology, Hunan, 412007, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Shuo Li
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials and Devices, Hunan University of Technology, Hunan, 412007, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials and Devices, Hunan University of Technology, Hunan, 412007, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Dan Wei
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials and Devices, Hunan University of Technology, Hunan, 412007, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Xueying Liu
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials and Devices, Hunan University of Technology, Hunan, 412007, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Zhu Chen
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials and Devices, Hunan University of Technology, Hunan, 412007, Zhuzhou, China
| | - Hongquan Peng
- Department of Nephrology, Kiang Wu Hospital, Macau, SAR, China
| | - Xun Liu
- Department of Nephrology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan Deng
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Biomedical Nanomaterials and Devices, Hunan University of Technology, Hunan, 412007, Zhuzhou, China.
- Institute for Future Sciences, University of South China, Changsha, Hunan, China.
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Martin DR, Mutombwera AT, Madiehe AM, Onani MO, Meyer M, Cloete R. Molecular modeling and simulation studies of SELEX-derived high-affinity DNA aptamers to the Ebola virus nucleoprotein. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-18. [PMID: 38217874 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2302922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Ebola viral disease (EVD) is a highly infectious and potentially fatal illness with a case fatality rate ranging from 25% to 90%. To effectively control its spread, there is a need for rapid, reliable and lowcost point-of-care (P OC) diagnostic tests. While various EVD diagnostic tests exist, few are P OC tests, and many are not cost-effective. The use of antibodies in these tests has limitations, prompting the exploration of aptamers as potential alternatives. Various proteins from the Ebola virus (EBOV) proteome, including EBOV nucleoprotein (NP), are considered viable targets for diagnostic assays. A previous study identified three aptamers (Apt1. Apt2 and Apt3) with high affinity for EBOV NP using systemic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). This study aimed to employ in silico methods, such as Phyre2, RNAfold, RNAComposer, HADDOCK and GROMACS, to model the structures of EBOV NP and the aptamers, and to investigate their binding. The in silico analysis revealed successful binding of all the three aptamers to EBOV NP, with a suggested ranking of Apt1 > Apt2 > Apt3 based on binding affinity. Microscale thermophoresis (MST) analysis confirmed the binding, providing dissociation constants of 25 ± 2.84, 56 ± 2.76 and 140 ±3.69 nM for Apt1, Apt2 and Apt3, respectively. The study shows that the findings of the in silico analysis was in agreement with the MST analysis. Inclusion of these in silico approaches in diagnostic assay development can expedite the selection of candidate aptamers, potentially overcoming challenges associated with aptamer application in diagnostics.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D R Martin
- Department of Science and Innovation/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute (SANBI), University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa Cape Town, South Africa
| | - A T Mutombwera
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - A M Madiehe
- Department of Science and Innovation/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
- Nanobiotechnology Research Group, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | - M O Onani
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | - M Meyer
- Department of Science and Innovation/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | - R Cloete
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute (SANBI), University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa Cape Town, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Liang G, Zhao J, Gao Y, Xie T, Zhen J, Pan L, Gong W. Application and evaluation of molecular docking for aptamer and small molecular interaction - A case study with tetracycline antibiotics. Talanta 2024; 266:124942. [PMID: 37459789 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.124942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Molecular docking (MD) analysis is currently the most commonly used theoretical simulation method to investigate the interaction of aptamers (receptors) and small molecules (ligands) and understand the recognition mechanism between them at a molecular level. Using the specific aptamers of tetracycline antibiotics (tetracycline (TET), oxytetracycline (OTC), doxycycline (DOC)) as the docking models, three steady-state aptamers of tertiary structures (SATS) were established for each aptamer with the UNAFold and RNAComposer tools. The binding free energy (BFE), docking score (DS), and binding site (base) of the specific ligands (TET, OTC, and DOC) with their respective SATS were obtained by molecular docking. The results revealed one or more binding sites in the established SATS of the aptamers. The BFE and DS of different binding sites of one specific SATS varied significantly. The results also revealed that the site with the highest BFE represented the most dominant binding site, even if it was not the SATS with minimum energy. The BFE values could also be used to evaluate the affinity and specificity of the aptamer to its target. For the first time, this study proposes a method for MD analysis of the aptamer and its target based on different SATS, clarification of the binding mode, and prediction of the binding sites (bases). This study provides a theoretical basis for tailoring; structural optimization; and base modification of aptamers; identifying aptamers with high affinity and specificity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gang Liang
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, BAAFS (Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences), Beijing, 100097, China; Risk Assessment Lab for Agro-products (Beijing), Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100097, China.
| | - Jie Zhao
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, BAAFS (Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences), Beijing, 100097, China; Risk Assessment Lab for Agro-products (Beijing), Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Yufei Gao
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Tao Xie
- Chengdu University, 610000, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianhui Zhen
- Shijiazhuang Customs Technology Center PR China, Shijiazhuang, 050051, China.
| | - Ligang Pan
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, BAAFS (Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences), Beijing, 100097, China; Risk Assessment Lab for Agro-products (Beijing), Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Wenwen Gong
- Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology, BAAFS (Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences), Beijing, 100097, China; Risk Assessment Lab for Agro-products (Beijing), Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100097, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Sabbih GO, Wijesinghe KM, Algama C, Dhakal S, Danquah MK. Computational generation and characterization of IsdA-binding aptamers with single-molecule FRET analysis. Biotechnol J 2023; 18:e2300076. [PMID: 37593983 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is a major foodborne bacterial pathogen. Early detection of S. aureus is crucial to prevent infections and ensure food quality. The iron-regulated surface determinant protein A (IsdA) of S. aureus is a unique surface protein necessary for sourcing vital iron from host cells for the survival and colonization of the bacteria. The function, structure, and location of the IsdA protein make it an important protein for biosensing applications relating to the pathogen. Here, we report an in-silico approach to develop and validate high-affinity binding aptamers for the IsdA protein detection using custom-designed in-silico tools and single-molecule Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET) measurements. We utilized in-silico oligonucleotide screening methods and metadynamics-based methods to generate 10 aptamer candidates and characterized them based on the Dissociation Free Energy (DFE) of the IsdA-aptamer complexes. Three of the aptamer candidates were shortlisted for smFRET experimental analysis of binding properties. Limits of detection in the low picomolar range were observed for the aptamers, and the results correlated well with the DFE calculations, indicating the potential of the in-silico approach to support aptamer discovery. This study showcases a computational SELEX method in combination with single-molecule binding studies deciphering effective aptamers against S. aureus IsdA, protein. The established approach demonstrates the ability to expedite aptamer discovery that has the potential to cut costs and predict binding efficacy. The application can be extended to designing aptamers for various protein targets, enhancing molecular recognition, and facilitating the development of high-affinity aptamers for multiple uses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chamika Algama
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Soma Dhakal
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Michael K Danquah
- University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lafi Z, Gharaibeh L, Nsairat H, Asha N, Alshaer W. Aptasensors: employing molecular probes for precise medical diagnostics and drug monitoring. Bioanalysis 2023; 15:1439-1460. [PMID: 37847048 DOI: 10.4155/bio-2023-0141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurate detection and monitoring of therapeutic drug levels are vital for effective patient care and treatment management. Aptamers, composed of single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules, are integral components of biosensors designed for both qualitative and quantitative detection of biological samples. Aptasensors play crucial roles in target identification, validation, detection of drug-target interactions and screening potential of drug candidates. This review focuses on the pivotal role of aptasensors in early disease detection, particularly in identifying biomarkers associated with various diseases such as cancer, infectious diseases and cardiovascular disorders. Aptasensors have demonstrated exceptional potential in enhancing disease diagnostics and monitoring therapeutic drug levels. Aptamer-based biosensors represent a transformative technology in the field of healthcare, enabling precise diagnostics, drug monitoring and disease detection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zainab Lafi
- Pharmacological & Diagnostic Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, 19328, Jordan
| | - Lobna Gharaibeh
- Pharmacological & Diagnostic Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, 19328, Jordan
| | - Hamdi Nsairat
- Pharmacological & Diagnostic Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, 19328, Jordan
| | - Nisreen Asha
- Cell Therapy Center, The University of Jordan, Amman, 11942, Jordan
| | - Walhan Alshaer
- Cell Therapy Center, The University of Jordan, Amman, 11942, Jordan
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Ji C, Wei J, Zhang L, Hou X, Tan J, Yuan Q, Tan W. Aptamer-Protein Interactions: From Regulation to Biomolecular Detection. Chem Rev 2023; 123:12471-12506. [PMID: 37931070 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Serving as the basis of cell life, interactions between nucleic acids and proteins play essential roles in fundamental cellular processes. Aptamers are unique single-stranded oligonucleotides generated by in vitro evolution methods, possessing the ability to interact with proteins specifically. Altering the structure of aptamers will largely modulate their interactions with proteins and further affect related cellular behaviors. Recently, with the in-depth research of aptamer-protein interactions, the analytical assays based on their interactions have been widely developed and become a powerful tool for biomolecular detection. There are some insightful reviews on aptamers applied in protein detection, while few systematic discussions are from the perspective of regulating aptamer-protein interactions. Herein, we comprehensively introduce the methods for regulating aptamer-protein interactions and elaborate on the detection techniques for analyzing aptamer-protein interactions. Additionally, this review provides a broad summary of analytical assays based on the regulation of aptamer-protein interactions for detecting biomolecules. Finally, we present our perspectives regarding the opportunities and challenges of analytical assays for biological analysis, aiming to provide guidance for disease mechanism research and drug discovery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cailing Ji
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Junyuan Wei
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Xinru Hou
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Jie Tan
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Quan Yuan
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Weihong Tan
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Canoura J, Alkhamis O, Liu Y, Willis C, Xiao Y. High-throughput quantitative binding analysis of DNA aptamers using exonucleases. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e19. [PMID: 36583362 PMCID: PMC9976898 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Aptamers are nucleic acid bioreceptors that have been used in various applications including medical diagnostics and as therapeutic agents. Identifying the most optimal aptamer for a particular application is very challenging. Here, we for the first time have developed a high-throughput method for accurately quantifying aptamer binding affinity, specificity, and cross-reactivity via the kinetics of aptamer digestion by exonucleases. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by isolating a set of new aptamers for fentanyl and its analogs, and then characterizing the binding properties of 655 aptamer-ligand pairs using our exonuclease digestion assay and validating the results with gold-standard methodologies. These data were used to select optimal aptamers for the development of new sensors that detect fentanyl and its analogs in different analytical contexts. Our approach dramatically accelerates the aptamer characterization process and streamlines sensor development, and if coupled with robotics, could enable high-throughput quantitative analysis of thousands of aptamer-ligand pairs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Canoura
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, 2620 Yarbrough Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Obtin Alkhamis
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, 2620 Yarbrough Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Yingzhu Liu
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, 2620 Yarbrough Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Connor Willis
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, 2620 Yarbrough Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Yi Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, 2620 Yarbrough Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Ghasemi F, Salimi A. Advances in 2d Based Field Effect Transistors as Biosensing Platforms: From Principle to Biomedical Applications. Microchem J 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2023.108432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
|
11
|
Oliveira DA, McLamore ES, Gomes CL. Rapid and label-free Listeria monocytogenes detection based on stimuli-responsive alginate-platinum thiomer nanobrushes. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21413. [PMID: 36496515 PMCID: PMC9741594 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25753-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this work, we demonstrate the development of a rapid and label-free electrochemical biosensor to detect Listeria monocytogenes using a novel stimulus-response thiomer nanobrush material. Nanobrushes were developed via one-step simultaneous co-deposition of nanoplatinum (Pt) and alginate thiomers (ALG-thiomer). ALG-thiomer/Pt nanobrush platform significantly increased the average electroactive surface area of electrodes by 7 folds and maintained the actuation properties (pH-stimulated osmotic swelling) of the alginate. Dielectric behavior during brush actuation was characterized with positively, neutral, and negatively charged redox probes above and below the isoelectric point of alginate, indicating ALG-thiomer surface charge plays an important role in signal acquisition. The ALG-thiomer platform was biofunctionalized with an aptamer selective for the internalin A protein on Listeria for biosensing applications. Aptamer loading was optimized and various cell capture strategies were investigated (brush extended versus collapsed). Maximum cell capture occurs when the ALG-thiomer/aptamer is in the extended conformation (pH > 3.5), followed by impedance measurement in the collapsed conformation (pH < 3.5). Low concentrations of bacteria (5 CFU mL-1) were sensed from a complex food matrix (chicken broth) and selectivity testing against other Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) indicate the aptamer affinity is maintained, even at these pH values. The new hybrid soft material is among the most efficient and fastest (17 min) for L. monocytogenes biosensing to date, and does not require sample pretreatment, constituting a promising new material platform for sensing small molecules or cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela A. Oliveira
- grid.264756.40000 0004 4687 2082Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843 USA
| | - Eric S. McLamore
- grid.26090.3d0000 0001 0665 0280Agricultural Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29631 USA
| | - Carmen L. Gomes
- grid.34421.300000 0004 1936 7312Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Su Y, Zhu L, Wu Y, Liu Z, Xu W. Progress and challenges in bacterial whole-cell-components Aptamer advanced screening and site identification. Trends Analyt Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2022.116731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
13
|
Spiridonova VA, Naumova YO, Nikolaeva PA, Novikova TM, Kolomijtseva GY. Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Unfolding of Antiparallel G-Quadruplexes in Anti-Thrombin Aptamers. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2022; 87:1292-1300. [PMID: 36509716 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922110086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The process of unfolding of G-quadruplex structure in the RE31 DNA-aptamer and in its complex with thrombin under the action of the fluorescently labeled complementary oligonucleotides of varying length with formation of double-helix structures has been studied. It has been suggested that G-quadruplex unfolding involves formation of an intermediate complex with an oligonucleotide. Thermodynamic parameters and kinetics of unfolding of the free aptamer and its complex with thrombin differ. Extension of the oligonucleotide sequence complementary to G-quadruplex by two nucleotides to cover the so-called "hinge region" had little impact on the conformational transition of G-quadruplex of the free aptamer. However, a pronounced effect has been observed for the aptamer-protein complex. Most likely these differences could be explained by the thrombin-induced conformational transition of the aptamer involving the hinge region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vera A Spiridonova
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Yulia O Naumova
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Polina A Nikolaeva
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Tatiana M Novikova
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Galina Ya Kolomijtseva
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Yunussova N, Sypabekova M, Zhumabekova Z, Matkarimov B, Kanayeva D. A Novel ssDNA Aptamer Targeting Carcinoembryonic Antigen: Selection and Characterization. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11101540. [PMID: 36290442 PMCID: PMC9598387 DOI: 10.3390/biology11101540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
One of the major causes of a drastically shorter life expectancy and one of the most prevalent diseases in the world today is cancer. Given the data on the rise in cancer cases throughout the world, it is obvious that, despite the diagnostic techniques currently being used, there is a pressing need to develop precise and sensitive techniques for early diagnosis of the disease. A high degree of affinity and specificity towards particular targets is maintained by the short nucleic acid molecules known as aptamers. Aptamers outperform antibodies due to their unique benefits, such as their simplicity in synthesis and modification, lack of toxicity, and long-term stability. Utilizing an accurate recognition element and a robust signal transduction mechanism, molecular diagnostics can be extremely sensitive and specific. In this study, development of new single-stranded DNA aptamers against CEA for use in cancer diagnostics was accomplished using SELEX and NGS methods. As a result of 12 iterative SELEX rounds, nine aptamer candidates against CEA were developed. NGS comparative analysis revealed that round twelve had an enriched number of aptamers that were specifically bound, as opposed to round eight. Among the selected nine sequences characterized by bioinformatics analysis and ELONA, an aptamer sequence with the highest specificity and affinity for the target protein was identified and further examined. Aptamer sequence (6) was screened in a concentration-dependent assay, specificity analysis was performed, and its potential secondary and tertiary structures were predicted, which enabled us to test one of the possible putative interactions with CEA. Finally, aptamer sequence (6) labelled with a Cy5 fluorescent tag was used in confocal microscopy to observe its binding towards the CEA expressed in HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cell line.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nigara Yunussova
- Ph.D. Program in Life Sciences, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Ave., Astana 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Marzhan Sypabekova
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Ave., Astana 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Zhazira Zhumabekova
- M.Sc. Program in Biological Sciences, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Ave., Astana 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Bakhyt Matkarimov
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Ave., Astana 010000, Kazakhstan
| | - Damira Kanayeva
- Department of Biology, School of Sciences and Humanities, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Ave., Astana 010000, Kazakhstan
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Zhong ZT, He YF, Tang YJ, Ashraf G, Yang H, Chen W, Liu B, Wang GP, Zhao YD. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase associated with split G-quadruplex/hemin deoxyribozyme amplification detection for various contaminants in milk based on pregnancy test strip platform. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 216:114644. [PMID: 36007409 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Contaminant residue analysis in milk can provide essential assistance for safety quality and contamination level management of milk production, which is critical for safeguarding public health. In this study, the pregnancy test strip is employed to achieve multiple analytes detection based on the specific recognition of aptamer and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase associated with split G-quadruplex/hemin deoxyribozyme system. Through the subsequent enzyme catalyzed reaction, the detection signal can be further amplified to improve the sensitivity. The method does not need to assemble test strip, prepare and purify antibodies/haptens, nor design complex probe sequences. By coupling human chorionic gonadotrophin with DNA probes and combining magnetic separation technology, the targets can be determined via the test strip. Under the optimized conditions, the visual detection limits for mercury ion, bisphenol A, and penicillin are 1, 0.1 and 0.05 nM, respectively. The detection results show that the method displays good accuracy and practicability in spiked milk sample. The method presents a simple scheme, low cost as well as good design versatility, which demonstrates great application prospect for the sensitive, low-cost, and convenient detection of food matrices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Tao Zhong
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, PR China
| | - Yan-Fei He
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, PR China
| | - Yuan-Ju Tang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, PR China
| | - Ghazala Ashraf
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, PR China
| | - Huai Yang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, PR China
| | - Wei Chen
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, PR China
| | - Bo Liu
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, PR China
| | - Guo-Ping Wang
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, PR China.
| | - Yuan-Di Zhao
- Britton Chance Center for Biomedical Photonics at Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics - Hubei Bioinformatics & Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, PR China; Key Laboratory of Biomedical Photonics (HUST), Ministry of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
A sequential toggle cell-SELEX DNA aptamer for targeting Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Escherichia coli bacteria. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2022; 20:95. [PMID: 35776386 PMCID: PMC9249959 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-022-00374-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary glands caused by a microbial infection. The common bacteria causing this infection in dairy farms are Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Escherichia coli. The aptamer is a new biosensor platform for detecting pathogens; however, its use for simultaneous detection of S. aureus, S. agalactiae, and E. coli bacteria has not been reported. This study's objective is to isolate and characterize polyclonal DNA aptamer with broad reactivity to the mastitis bacteria S. aureus, S. agalactiae, and E. coli using a sequential toggle cell-SELEX. METHODS AND RESULTS The DNA aptamer pool from SELEX 15 was inserted into the pGEM-T easy plasmid. Furthermore, the transformant clones were selected by PCR colony, plasmid isolation, and sequencing. Six DNA aptamers, consisting of S15K3, S15K4, S15K6, S15K13, S15K15, and S15K20 with a constant region and the right size of 81 bp were derived from the sequencing analysis. The secondary structure of the DNA was predicted using Mfold software. The DNA was analyzed with binding characteristics, including binding capacity and affinity (Kd), using qPCR. The results indicated aptamer S15K15 has the highest binding ability into S. agalactiae, while S15K13 performed binding capacity most to E. coli EPEC 4, and S15K3 has the highest capacity of binding to S. aureus BPA-12. CONCLUSION Aptamer S15K3 has the best binding characteristics on all three bacterial targets.
Collapse
|
17
|
Pang H, Li H, Zhang W, Mao J, Zhang L, Zhang Z, Zhang Q, Wang D, Jiang J, Li P. Fullerenol Quantum Dots-Based Highly Sensitive Fluorescence Aptasensor for Patulin in Apple Juice. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14040272. [PMID: 35448881 PMCID: PMC9024875 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14040272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
A highly selective and sensitive aptasensor for detecting patulin (PAT) was constructed based on the fluorescence quenching of fullerenol quantum dots (FOQDs) towards carboxytetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA) through PET mechanism. The π-π stacking interaction between PAT aptamer and FOQDs closed the distance between TAMRA and FOQDs and the fluorescence of TAMRA was quenched with maximum quenching efficiency reaching 85%. There was no non-specific fluorescence quenching caused by FOQDs. In the presence of PAT, the PAT aptamer was inclined to bind with PAT and its conformation was changed. Resulting in the weak π-π stacking interaction between PAT aptamer and FOQDs. Therefore, the fluorescence of TAMRA recovered and was linearly correlated to the concentration of PAT in the range of 0.02–1 ng/mL with a detection limit of 0.01 ng/mL. This PAT aptasensor also performed well in apple juice with linear dynamic range from 0.05–1 ng/mL. The homogeneous fluorescence aptasensor shows broad application prospect in the detection of various food pollutants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hua Pang
- Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
- National Reference Laboratory for Agricultural Testing (Biotoxin), Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Hui Li
- Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
- National Reference Laboratory for Agricultural Testing (Biotoxin), Wuhan 430062, China
- Key Laboratory of Detection for Mycotoxins, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Oilseed Products (Wuhan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
- National Reference Laboratory for Agricultural Testing (Biotoxin), Wuhan 430062, China
- Key Laboratory of Detection for Mycotoxins, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Oilseed Products (Wuhan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Jin Mao
- Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- National Reference Laboratory for Agricultural Testing (Biotoxin), Wuhan 430062, China
- Key Laboratory of Detection for Mycotoxins, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Oilseed Products (Wuhan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Liangxiao Zhang
- Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- National Reference Laboratory for Agricultural Testing (Biotoxin), Wuhan 430062, China
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Oilseed Products (Wuhan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Zhaowei Zhang
- Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- National Reference Laboratory for Agricultural Testing (Biotoxin), Wuhan 430062, China
- Key Laboratory of Detection for Mycotoxins, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Oilseed Products (Wuhan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
- National Reference Laboratory for Agricultural Testing (Biotoxin), Wuhan 430062, China
- Key Laboratory of Detection for Mycotoxins, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Oilseed Products (Wuhan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Du Wang
- Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Oilseed Products (Wuhan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Jun Jiang
- Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Oilseed Products (Wuhan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Peiwu Li
- Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430062, China
- Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
- National Reference Laboratory for Agricultural Testing (Biotoxin), Wuhan 430062, China
- Key Laboratory of Detection for Mycotoxins, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Oilseed Products (Wuhan), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Wuhan 430062, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Li M, Yao B, Jing C, Chen H, Zhang Y, Zhou N. Engineering a G-quadruplex-based logic gate platform for sensitive assay of dual biomarkers of ovarian cancer. Anal Chim Acta 2022; 1198:339559. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2022.339559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
19
|
Assays to Estimate the Binding Affinity of Aptamers. Talanta 2022; 238:122971. [PMID: 34857318 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Aptamers have become coming-of-age molecular recognition elements in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Generated by SELEX, the 'quality control' of aptamers, which involves the validation of their binding affinity against their respective targets is pivotal to ascertain their potency prior to use in any downstream assays or applications. Several aptamers have been isolated thus far, however, the usage of inappropriate validation assays renders some of these aptamers dubitable in terms of their binding capabilities. Driven by this need, we provide an up-to-date critical review of the various strategies used to determine the aptamer-target binding affinity with the aim of providing researchers a better comprehension of the different analytical approaches in respect to the molecular properties of aptamers and their intended targets. The techniques reported have been classified as label-based techniques such as fluorescence intensity, fluorescence anisotropy, filter-binding assays, gel shift assays, ELISA; and label-free techniques such as UV-Vis spectroscopy, circular dichroism, isothermal titration calorimetry, native electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, quartz crystal microbalance, surface plasmon resonance, NECEEM, backscattering interferometry, capillary electrophoresis, HPLC, and nanoparticle aggregation assays. Hybrid strategies combining the characteristics of both categories such as microscale thermophoresis have been also additionally emphasized. The fundamental principles, complexity, benefits, and challenges under each technique are elaborated in detail.
Collapse
|
20
|
Aptamers-Diagnostic and Therapeutic Solution in SARS-CoV-2. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031412. [PMID: 35163338 PMCID: PMC8836149 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is currently the most serious challenge to global public health. Its emergence has severely disrupted the functioning of health services and the economic and social situation worldwide. Therefore, new diagnostic and therapeutic tools are urgently needed to allow for the early detection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and appropriate treatment, which is crucial for the effective control of the COVID-19 disease. The ideal solution seems to be the use of aptamers—short fragments of nucleic acids, DNA or RNA—that can bind selected proteins with high specificity and affinity. They can be used in methods that base the reading of the test result on fluorescence phenomena, chemiluminescence, and electrochemical changes. Exploiting the properties of aptamers will enable the introduction of rapid, sensitive, specific, and low-cost tests for the routine diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2. Aptamers are excellent candidates for the development of point-of-care diagnostic devices and are potential therapeutic tools for the treatment of COVID-19. They can effectively block coronavirus activity in multiple fields by binding viral proteins and acting as carriers of therapeutic substances. In this review, we present recent developments in the design of various types of aptasensors to detect and treat the SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Collapse
|
21
|
Shi HQ, Ma Y, Wang YH, Fang F, Wu ZY. Current pulse signature of native kanamycin aptamer and its implication for molecular interactions on a single protein nanopore sensing interface. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 201:113966. [PMID: 35016110 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.113966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Due to the pore size limitation of single α-hemolysin (α-HL) nanopore sensing interface, ssDNA with secondary conformations can only pass through the nanopore after unzipping as linear ssDNA. For hairpin DNA, a tail with 15-50 bases was usually added to the stem terminal (5' or 3') to facilitate the capture rate and unzipping process, and the typical translocation signal behaves as a square wave with a short dip at the end of the pulse. In this work, the pulse signal of native kanamycin aptamer, a hairpin DNA without the added long tail, was investigated with the single nanopore sensing interface, and different current pulse pattern was observed. The pulse signal exhibited two precise current levels with significantly extended duration of the second, and both duration of the two levels correlate to the interaction of the aptamer to kanamycin. Moreover, the pulse signal not only reveals the selectivity of the aptamer to its target, but also sensitive to the loop sequence change of the aptamer. This work shows that a single nanopore sensing interface could be used as a unique alternative means for interaction investigation of hairpin DNA aptamer without labeling or adding the extra-long tail.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Qing Shi
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Chemistry Department, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, China
| | - Yao Ma
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Chemistry Department, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, China
| | - Yu-Hang Wang
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Chemistry Department, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, China
| | - Fang Fang
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Chemistry Department, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, China
| | - Zhi-Yong Wu
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, Chemistry Department, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, China.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Dillen A, Lammertyn J. Paving the way towards continuous biosensing by implementing affinity-based nanoswitches on state-dependent readout platforms. Analyst 2022; 147:1006-1023. [DOI: 10.1039/d1an02308j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Combining affinity-based nanoswitches with state-dependent readout platforms allows for continuous biosensing and acquisition of real-time information about biochemical processes occurring in the environment of interest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annelies Dillen
- KU Leuven, Department of Biosystems – Biosensors Group, Willem de Croylaan 42, Box 2428, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Lammertyn
- KU Leuven, Department of Biosystems – Biosensors Group, Willem de Croylaan 42, Box 2428, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Krissanaprasit A, Key CM, Pontula S, LaBean TH. Self-Assembling Nucleic Acid Nanostructures Functionalized with Aptamers. Chem Rev 2021; 121:13797-13868. [PMID: 34157230 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c01332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Researchers have worked for many decades to master the rules of biomolecular design that would allow artificial biopolymer complexes to self-assemble and function similarly to the diverse biochemical constructs displayed in natural biological systems. The rules of nucleic acid assembly (dominated by Watson-Crick base-pairing) have been less difficult to understand and manipulate than the more complicated rules of protein folding. Therefore, nucleic acid nanotechnology has advanced more quickly than de novo protein design, and recent years have seen amazing progress in DNA and RNA design. By combining structural motifs with aptamers that act as affinity handles and add powerful molecular recognition capabilities, nucleic acid-based self-assemblies represent a diverse toolbox for use by bioengineers to create molecules with potentially revolutionary biological activities. In this review, we focus on the development of self-assembling nucleic acid nanostructures that are functionalized with nucleic acid aptamers and their great potential in wide ranging application areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhichart Krissanaprasit
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| | - Carson M Key
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Sahil Pontula
- Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.,Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Thomas H LaBean
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, United States
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Martin DR, Sibuyi NR, Dube P, Fadaka AO, Cloete R, Onani M, Madiehe AM, Meyer M. Aptamer-Based Diagnostic Systems for the Rapid Screening of TB at the Point-of-Care. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:1352. [PMID: 34441287 PMCID: PMC8391981 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11081352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The transmission of Tuberculosis (TB) is very rapid and the burden it places on health care systems is felt globally. The effective management and prevention of this disease requires that it is detected early. Current TB diagnostic approaches, such as the culture, sputum smear, skin tuberculin, and molecular tests are time-consuming, and some are unaffordable for low-income countries. Rapid tests for disease biomarker detection are mostly based on immunological assays that use antibodies which are costly to produce, have low sensitivity and stability. Aptamers can replace antibodies in these diagnostic tests for the development of new rapid tests that are more cost effective; more stable at high temperatures and therefore have a better shelf life; do not have batch-to-batch variations, and thus more consistently bind to a specific target with similar or higher specificity and selectivity and are therefore more reliable. Advancements in TB research, in particular the application of proteomics to identify TB specific biomarkers, led to the identification of a number of biomarker proteins, that can be used to develop aptamer-based diagnostic assays able to screen individuals at the point-of-care (POC) more efficiently in resource-limited settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darius Riziki Martin
- DSI/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre-Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (D.R.M.); (N.R.S.); (P.D.); (A.O.F.); (A.M.M.)
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa;
| | - Nicole Remaliah Sibuyi
- DSI/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre-Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (D.R.M.); (N.R.S.); (P.D.); (A.O.F.); (A.M.M.)
| | - Phumuzile Dube
- DSI/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre-Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (D.R.M.); (N.R.S.); (P.D.); (A.O.F.); (A.M.M.)
| | - Adewale Oluwaseun Fadaka
- DSI/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre-Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (D.R.M.); (N.R.S.); (P.D.); (A.O.F.); (A.M.M.)
| | - Ruben Cloete
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa;
| | - Martin Onani
- Department of Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa;
| | - Abram Madimabe Madiehe
- DSI/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre-Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (D.R.M.); (N.R.S.); (P.D.); (A.O.F.); (A.M.M.)
| | - Mervin Meyer
- DSI/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre-Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, South Africa; (D.R.M.); (N.R.S.); (P.D.); (A.O.F.); (A.M.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Acquah C, Jeevanandam J, Tan KX, Danquah MK. Engineered Aptamers for Enhanced COVID-19 Theranostics. Cell Mol Bioeng 2021; 14:209-221. [PMID: 33488836 PMCID: PMC7810429 DOI: 10.1007/s12195-020-00664-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The 2019-novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an intractable global health challenge resulting in an aberrant rate of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The mode of entry for SARS-CoV-2 into host cells occurs through clathrin-mediated endocytosis. As part of the efforts to mitigate COVID-19 infections, rapid and accurate detection methods, as well as smart vaccine and drug designs with SARS-CoV-2 targeting capabilities are critically needed. This systematic review aimed to present a good mapping between the structural and functional characteristics of aptamers and their potential applications in COVID-19 theranostics. METHODS In this study, extensive discussions into the potential development of aptameric systems as robust theranostics for rapid mitigation of the virulent SARS-CoV-2 was made. Information required for this study were extracted from a systematic review of literature in PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science (WOS), and other official related reports from reputable organisations. RESULTS The global burden of COVID-19 pandemic was discussed including the progress in rapid detection, repurposing of existing antiviral drugs, and development of prophylactic vaccines. Aptamers have highly specific and stable target binding characteristics which can be generated and engineered with less complexity for COVID-19 targeted theranostic applications. CONCLUSIONS There is an urgent need to develop safe innovative biomedical technologies to mitigate the dire impact of COVID-19 on public health worldwide. Research advances into aptameric systems bode well with the fact that they can be engineered for the development of effective and affordable diagnostics, therapeutics and prophylactic vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caleb Acquah
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5 Canada
| | - Jaison Jeevanandam
- CQM-Centro de Química da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Kei Xian Tan
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798 Singapore
| | - Michael K. Danquah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, TN 37403 USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Navien TN, Thevendran R, Hamdani HY, Tang TH, Citartan M. In silico molecular docking in DNA aptamer development. Biochimie 2020; 180:54-67. [PMID: 33086095 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides generated by SELEX that exhibit binding affinity and specificity against a wide variety of target molecules. Compared to RNA aptamers, DNA aptamers are much more stable and therefore are widely adopted in a number of applications especially in diagnostics. The tediousness and rigor associated with certain steps of the SELEX intensify the efforts to adopt in silico molecular docking approaches together with in vitro SELEX procedures in developing DNA aptamers. Inspired by these endeavors, we carry out an overview of the in silico molecular docking approaches in DNA aptamer generation, by detailing the stepwise procedures as well as shedding some light on the various softwares used. The in silico maturation strategy and the limitations of the in silico approaches are also underscored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tholasi Nadhan Navien
- Advanced Medical & Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Ramesh Thevendran
- Advanced Medical & Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Hazrina Yusof Hamdani
- Advanced Medical & Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Thean-Hock Tang
- Advanced Medical & Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia.
| | - Marimuthu Citartan
- Advanced Medical & Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Chemical Modification of Aptamers for Increased Binding Affinity in Diagnostic Applications: Current Status and Future Prospects. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21124522. [PMID: 32630547 PMCID: PMC7350236 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aptamers are short single stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides that can recognize analytes with extraordinary target selectivity and affinity. Despite their promising properties and diagnostic potential, the number of commercial applications remains scarce. In order to endow them with novel recognition motifs and enhanced properties, chemical modification of aptamers has been pursued. This review focuses on chemical modifications, aimed at increasing the binding affinity for the aptamer's target either in a non-covalent or covalent fashion, hereby improving their application potential in a diagnostic context. An overview of current methodologies will be given, thereby distinguishing between pre- and post-SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment) modifications.
Collapse
|
28
|
Aljohani MM, Chinnappan R, Alsager OA, AlZabn R, Alhoshani A, Weber K, Cialla-May D, Popp J, Zourob M. Mapping the binding region of aptamer targeting small molecule: Dabigatran etexilate, an anti-coagulant. Talanta 2020; 218:121132. [PMID: 32797889 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2020.121132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA, which have attracted considerable scientific interest due to their characteristic of specific and selective binding to target molecules. They are evolved from the in vitro process known as systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). This paper reports a simple experimental approach to elucidate the binding region of small targets binding aptamers. A previously isolated 60-mer aptamer for the anti-coagulant dabigatran etexilate (DBG) was used for this investigation. Complimentary sequences labelled with a fluorophore and a quencher were used for testing the binding region by change in the fluorescence signal. The full-length aptamer was truncated to multiple shorter copies including a 38 nucleotides sequence that showed 47 fold high affinity compared to the original aptamer. Circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD) measurements indicate that the 38-mer is remarkably more sensitive than the parent aptamer. The truncated 38-mer sequence was used to construct a turn-on fluorescence sensor with the detection limit of 1 nM. The performance of the sensor was examined in blood serum samples and showed excellent recovery percentages exceeding 98%. The reported screening protocol could be applied to the growing small targets aptasensors that require efficient binding aptamer sequences coupled with optimum signal transduction methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maher M Aljohani
- Department of Chemistry, Alfaisal University, Al Zahrawi Street, Al Maather, Al Takhassusi Rd, Riyadh, 11533, Saudi Arabia
| | - Raja Chinnappan
- Department of Chemistry, Alfaisal University, Al Zahrawi Street, Al Maather, Al Takhassusi Rd, Riyadh, 11533, Saudi Arabia
| | - Omar A Alsager
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), P.O Box 6086, Riyadh, 11442, Saudi Arabia
| | - Razan AlZabn
- Department of Chemistry, Alfaisal University, Al Zahrawi Street, Al Maather, Al Takhassusi Rd, Riyadh, 11533, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Alhoshani
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Karina Weber
- InfectoGnostics Research Campus Jena, Center for Applied Research, Philosophenweg 7, Jena, 07743, Germany; Institute of Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Helmholtzweg 4, 07743, Jena, Germany; Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Straße 9, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Dana Cialla-May
- InfectoGnostics Research Campus Jena, Center for Applied Research, Philosophenweg 7, Jena, 07743, Germany; Institute of Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Helmholtzweg 4, 07743, Jena, Germany; Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Straße 9, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Jürgen Popp
- InfectoGnostics Research Campus Jena, Center for Applied Research, Philosophenweg 7, Jena, 07743, Germany; Institute of Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Helmholtzweg 4, 07743, Jena, Germany; Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Albert-Einstein-Straße 9, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Mohammed Zourob
- Department of Chemistry, Alfaisal University, Al Zahrawi Street, Al Maather, Al Takhassusi Rd, Riyadh, 11533, Saudi Arabia; King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Zahrawi Street, Al Maather, Riyadh, 12713, Saudi Arabia.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Thevendran R, Sarah S, Tang TH, Citartan M. Strategies to bioengineer aptamer-driven nanovehicles as exceptional molecular tools for targeted therapeutics: A review. J Control Release 2020; 323:530-548. [PMID: 32380206 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.04.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Aptamers are a class of folded nucleic acid strands capable of binding to different target molecules with high affinity and selectivity. Over the years, they have gained a substantial amount of interest as promising molecular tools for numerous medical applications, particularly in targeted therapeutics. However, only the different treatment approaches and current developments of aptamer-drug therapies have been discussed so far, ignoring the crucial technical and functional aspects of constructing a therapeutically effective aptamer-driven drug delivery system that translates to improved in-vivo performance. Hence, this paper provides a comprehensive review of the strategies used to improve the therapeutic performance of aptamer-guided delivery systems. We focus on the different functional features such as drug deployment, payload capacity, in-vivo stability and targeting efficiency to further our knowledge in enhancing the cell-specific delivery of aptamer-drug conjugates. Each reported strategy is critically discussed to emphasize both the benefits provided in comparison with other similar techniques and to outline their potential drawbacks with respect to the molecular properties of the aptamers, the drug and the system to be designed. The molecular architecture and design considerations for an efficient aptamer-based delivery system are also briefly elaborated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Thevendran
- Advanced Medical & Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia.
| | - Shigdar Sarah
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3216, Australia
| | - Thean-Hock Tang
- Advanced Medical & Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia.
| | - Marimuthu Citartan
- Advanced Medical & Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Khoshbin Z, Housaindokht MR, Izadyar M, Bozorgmehr MR, Verdian A. Temperature and molecular crowding effects on the sensitivity of T30695 aptamer toward Pb2+ion: a joint molecular dynamics simulation and experimental study. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2020.1751842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Khoshbin
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | | | - Mohammad Izadyar
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | | | - Asma Verdian
- Department of Food Safety and Quality Control, Research Institute of Food Science and Technology (RIFST), Mashhad, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Thevendran R, Navien TN, Meng X, Wen K, Lin Q, Sarah S, Tang TH, Citartan M. Mathematical approaches in estimating aptamer-target binding affinity. Anal Biochem 2020; 600:113742. [PMID: 32315616 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2020.113742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The performance of aptamers as versatile tools in numerous analytical applications is critically dependent on their high target binding specificity and selectivity. However, only the technical or methodological aspects of measuring aptamer-target binding affinities are focused, ignoring the equally important mathematical components that play pivotal roles in affinity measurements. In this study, we aim to provide a comprehensive review regarding the utilization of different mathematical models and equations, along with a detailed description of the computational steps involved in mathematically deriving the binding affinity of aptamers against their specific target molecules. Mathematical models ranging from one-site binding to multiple aptameric binding site-based models are explained in detail. Models applied in several different approaches of affinity measurements such as thermodynamics and kinetic analysis, including cooperativity and competitive-assay based mathematical models have been elaborately discussed. Mathematical models incorporating factors that could potentially affect affinity measurements are also further scrutinized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ramesh Thevendran
- Advanced Medical & Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Tholasi Nadhan Navien
- Advanced Medical & Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Xin Meng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Kechun Wen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Qiao Lin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, United States
| | - Shigdar Sarah
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, Victoria, 3216, Australia
| | - Thean-Hock Tang
- Advanced Medical & Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia.
| | - Marimuthu Citartan
- Advanced Medical & Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Bertam, 13200, Kepala Batas, Penang, Malaysia; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Davydova A, Krasitskaya V, Vorobjev P, Timoshenko V, Tupikin A, Kabilov M, Frank L, Venyaminova A, Vorobyeva M. Reporter-recruiting bifunctional aptasensor for bioluminescent analytical assays. RSC Adv 2020; 10:32393-32399. [PMID: 35516485 PMCID: PMC9056652 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra05117a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A novel structure-switching bioluminescent 2′-F-RNA aptasensor consists of analyte-binding and obelin-recruiting modules, joined into a bi-specific aptamer construct.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Davydova
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS
- Novosibirsk 630090
- Russia
| | - Vasilisa Krasitskaya
- Institute of Biophysics SB RAS
- Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center SB RAS”
- Krasnoyarsk 660036
- Russia
| | - Pavel Vorobjev
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS
- Novosibirsk 630090
- Russia
- Novosibirsk State University
- 630090 Novosibirsk
| | - Valentina Timoshenko
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS
- Novosibirsk 630090
- Russia
| | - Alexey Tupikin
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS
- Novosibirsk 630090
- Russia
| | - Marsel Kabilov
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS
- Novosibirsk 630090
- Russia
| | - Ludmila Frank
- Institute of Biophysics SB RAS
- Federal Research Center “Krasnoyarsk Science Center SB RAS”
- Krasnoyarsk 660036
- Russia
- Siberian Federal University
| | - Alya Venyaminova
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS
- Novosibirsk 630090
- Russia
| | - Mariya Vorobyeva
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine SB RAS
- Novosibirsk 630090
- Russia
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Peptides, Antibodies, Peptide Antibodies and More. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20246289. [PMID: 31847088 PMCID: PMC6941022 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20246289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The applications of peptides and antibodies to multiple targets have emerged as powerful tools in research, diagnostics, vaccine development, and therapeutics. Antibodies are unique since they, in theory, can be directed to any desired target, which illustrates their versatile nature and broad spectrum of use as illustrated by numerous applications of peptide antibodies. In recent years, due to the inherent limitations such as size and physical properties of antibodies, it has been attempted to generate new molecular compounds with equally high specificity and affinity, albeit with relatively low success. Based on this, peptides, antibodies, and peptide antibodies have established their importance and remain crucial reagents in molecular biology.
Collapse
|
34
|
Jauset-Rubio M, Botero ML, Skouridou V, Aktas GB, Svobodova M, Bashammakh AS, El-Shahawi MS, Alyoubi AO, O’Sullivan CK. One-Pot SELEX: Identification of Specific Aptamers against Diverse Steroid Targets in One Selection. ACS OMEGA 2019; 4:20188-20196. [PMID: 31815219 PMCID: PMC6893951 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Aptamers are well-established biorecognition molecules used in a wide variety of applications for the detection of their respective targets. However, individual SELEX processes typically performed for the identification of aptamers for each target can be quite time-consuming, labor-intensive, and costly. An alternative strategy is proposed herein for the simultaneous identification of different aptamers binding distinct but structurally similar targets in one single selection. This one-pot SELEX approach, using the steroids estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone as model targets, was achieved by combining the benefits of counter-SELEX with the power of next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. The pools from the last stage of the selection were compared in order to discover sequences with preferential abundance in only one of the pools. This led to the identification of aptamer candidates with potential specificity to a single steroid target. Binding studies demonstrated the high affinity of each selected aptamer for its respective target, and low nanomolar range dissociation constants calculated were similar to those previously reported for steroid-binding aptamers selected using traditional SELEX approaches. Finally, the selected aptamers were exploited in microtiter plate assays, achieving nanomolar limits of detection, while the specificity of these aptamers was also demonstrated. Overall, the one-pot SELEX strategy led to the discovery of aptamers for three different steroid targets in one single selection without compromising their affinity or specificity, demonstrating the power of this approach of aptamer discovery for the simultaneous selection of aptamers against multiple targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Jauset-Rubio
- INTERFIBIO
Research Group, Departament d’Enginyeria Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Avinguda Països Catalans
26, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Mary Luz Botero
- INTERFIBIO
Research Group, Departament d’Enginyeria Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Avinguda Països Catalans
26, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Vasso Skouridou
- INTERFIBIO
Research Group, Departament d’Enginyeria Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Avinguda Països Catalans
26, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
- E-mail: . Phone: +34977558576 (V.S.)
| | - Gülsen Betül Aktas
- INTERFIBIO
Research Group, Departament d’Enginyeria Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Avinguda Països Catalans
26, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Marketa Svobodova
- INTERFIBIO
Research Group, Departament d’Enginyeria Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Avinguda Països Catalans
26, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Abdulaziz S. Bashammakh
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz
University, P.O. Box 80203, 21589 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad S. El-Shahawi
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz
University, P.O. Box 80203, 21589 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulrahman O. Alyoubi
- Department
of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz
University, P.O. Box 80203, 21589 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ciara K. O’Sullivan
- INTERFIBIO
Research Group, Departament d’Enginyeria Química, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Avinguda Països Catalans
26, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
- Institució
Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
- E-mail: . Phone: +34977559651 (C.K.O.)
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Hatefi-Mehrjardi A, Beheshti-Marnani A, Es′haghi Z. Signal promoting role of a p-type transition metal dichalcogenide used for the detection of ultra-trace amounts of diclofenac via a labeled aptasensor. Front Chem Sci Eng 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s11705-019-1797-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
|
36
|
Acquah C, Chan YW, Pan S, Yon LS, Ongkudon CM, Guo H, Danquah MK. Characterisation of aptamer-anchored poly(EDMA-co-GMA) monolith for high throughput affinity binding. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14501. [PMID: 31601836 PMCID: PMC6787036 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50862-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Immobilisation of aptameric ligands on solid stationary supports for effective binding of target molecules requires understanding of the relationship between aptamer-polymer interactions and the conditions governing the mass transfer of the binding process. Herein, key process parameters affecting the molecular anchoring of a thrombin-binding aptamer (TBA) onto polymethacrylate monolith pore surface, and the binding characteristics of the resulting macroporous aptasensor were investigated. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the TBA-thrombin binding indicated enhanced Guanine 4 (G4) structural stability of TBA upon interaction with thrombin in an ionic environment. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analyses were used to characterise the available functional groups and thermo-molecular stability of the immobilised polymer generated with Schiff-base activation and immobilisation scheme. The initial degradation temperature of the polymethacrylate stationary support increased with each step of the Schiff-base process: poly(Ethylene glycol Dimethacrylate-co-Glycidyl methacrylate) or poly(EDMA-co-GMA) [196.0 °C (±1.8)]; poly(EDMA-co-GMA)-Ethylenediamine [235.9 °C (±6.1)]; poly(EDMA-co-GMA)-Ethylenediamine-Glutaraldehyde [255.4 °C (±2.7)]; and aptamer-modified monolith [273.7 °C (±2.5)]. These initial temperature increments reflected in the associated endothermic energies were determined with differential scanning calorimetry. The aptameric ligand density obtained after immobilisation was 480 pmol/μL. Increase in pH and ionic concentration affected the surface charge distribution and the binding characteristics of the aptamer-modified disk-monoliths, resulting in the optimum binding pH and ionic concentration of 8.0 and 5 mM Mg2+, respectively. These results are critical in understanding and setting parametric constraints indispensable to develop and enhance the performance of aptasensors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caleb Acquah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Sarawak, 98009, Malaysia.,School of Nutrition Science, Faculty of Health Science, University of Ottawa, K1N 6N5, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yi Wei Chan
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, 88400, Malaysia
| | - Sharadwata Pan
- School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, 85354, Germany
| | - Lau Sie Yon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Sarawak, 98009, Malaysia
| | - Clarence M Ongkudon
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, 88400, Malaysia
| | - Haobo Guo
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, TN, 37403, United States.,SimCenter, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, TN, 37403, United States
| | - Michael K Danquah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, TN, 37403, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Seelam Prabhakar P, A Manderville R, D Wetmore S. Impact of the Position of the Chemically Modified 5-Furyl-2'-Deoxyuridine Nucleoside on the Thrombin DNA Aptamer-Protein Complex: Structural Insights into Aptamer Response from MD Simulations. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24162908. [PMID: 31405145 PMCID: PMC6720718 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24162908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aptamers are functional nucleic acids that bind to a range of targets (small molecules, proteins or cells) with a high affinity and specificity. Chemically-modified aptamers are of interest because the incorporation of novel nucleobase components can enhance aptamer binding to target proteins, while fluorescent base analogues permit the design of functional aptasensors that signal target binding. However, since optimally modified nucleoside designs have yet to be identified, information about how to fine tune aptamer stability and target binding affinity is required. The present work uses molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate modifications to the prototypical thrombin-binding aptamer (TBA), which is a 15-mer DNA sequence that folds into a G-quadruplex structure connected by two TT loops and one TGT loop. Specifically, we modeled a previously synthesized thymine (T) analog, namely 5-furyl-2′-deoxyuridine (5FurU), into each of the six aptamer locations occupied by a thymine base in the TT or TGT loops of unbound and thrombin bound TBA. This modification and aptamer combination were chosen as a proof-of-principle because previous experimental studies have shown that TBA displays emissive sensitivity to target binding based on the local environment polarity at different 5FurU modification sites. Our simulations reveal that the chemically-modified base imparts noticeable structural changes to the aptamer without affecting the global conformation. Depending on the modification site, 5FurU performance is altered due to changes in the local environment, including the modification site structural dynamics, degree of solvent exposure, stacking with neighboring bases, and interactions with thrombin. Most importantly, these changes directly correlate with the experimentally-observed differences in the stability, binding affinity and emissive response of the modified aptamers. Therefore, the computational protocols implemented in the present work can be used in subsequent studies in a predictive way to aid the fine tuning of aptamer target recognition for use as biosensors (aptasensors) and/or therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Preethi Seelam Prabhakar
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive West, Lethbridge, AL T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Richard A Manderville
- Department of Chemistry and Toxicology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Stacey D Wetmore
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive West, Lethbridge, AL T1K 3M4, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Wu W, Yu C, Wang Q, Zhao F, He H, Liu C, Yang Q. Research advances of DNA aptasensors for foodborne pathogen detection. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2019; 60:2353-2368. [PMID: 31298036 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2019.1636763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Aptamers, referring to single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules can specifically recognize and bind to their targets. Based on their excellent specificity, sensitivity, high affinity, and simplicity of modification, aptamers offer great potential for pathogen detection and biomolecular screening. This article reviews aptamer screening technologies and aptamer application technologies, including gold-nanoparticle lateral flow assays, fluorescence assays, electrochemical assays, colorimetric assays, and surface-enhanced Raman assays, in the detection of foodborne pathogens. Although notable progress (more rapid, sensitive, and accurate) has been achieved in the field, challenges and drawbacks in their applications still remain to be overcome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China.,State Key Laboratory of Bio-fibers and Eco-textiles, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Chundi Yu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Qi Wang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Fangyuan Zhao
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hong He
- Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital to Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Chunzhao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-fibers and Eco-textiles, Institute of Biochemical Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qingli Yang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Aviñó A, Jorge AF, Huertas CS, Cova TFGG, Pais A, Lechuga LM, Eritja R, Fabrega C. Aptamer-peptide conjugates as a new strategy to modulate human α-thrombin binding affinity. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2019; 1863:1619-1630. [PMID: 31265898 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2019.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Aptamers are single-stranded RNA or DNA molecules that specifically recognize their targets and have proven valuable for functionalizing sensitive biosensors. α-thrombin is a trypsin-like serine proteinase which plays a crucial role in haemostasis and thrombosis. An abnormal activity or overexpression of this protein is associated with a variety of diseases. A great deal of attention was devoted to the construction of high-throughput biosensors for accurately detect thrombin for the early diagnosis and treatment of related diseases. Herein, we propose a new approach to modulate the interaction between α-thrombin and the aptamer TBA15. To this end, TBA15 was chemically conjugated to two peptide sequences (TBA-G3FIE-Ac and TBA-G3EIF-Ac) corresponding to a short fragment of the acidic region of the human factor V, which is known to interact directly with exosite I. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) results showed enhanced analytical performances of thrombin with TBA-G3EIF-Ac than with TBA wild-type, reaching a limit of detection as low as 44.9 pM. Electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA) corroborated the SPR results. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations support experimental evidences and provided further insight into thrombin/TBA-peptide interaction. Our findings demonstrate that the combination of TBA15 with key interacting peptides offers good opportunities to produce sensitive devices for thrombin detection and potential candidates to block thrombin activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Aviñó
- Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain; Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andreia F Jorge
- CQC, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - César S Huertas
- Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC, ICN2 Building, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tânia F G G Cova
- CQC, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Alberto Pais
- CQC, Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Laura M Lechuga
- Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC, ICN2 Building, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ramon Eritja
- Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain; Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Carme Fabrega
- Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain; Networking Center on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, E-08034 Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Moreno M, Fernández-Algar M, Fernández-Chamorro J, Ramajo J, Martínez-Salas E, Briones C. A Combined ELONA-(RT)qPCR Approach for Characterizing DNA and RNA Aptamers Selected against PCBP-2. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24071213. [PMID: 30925703 PMCID: PMC6480920 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24071213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Improvements in Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX) technology and DNA sequencing methods have led to the identification of a large number of active nucleic acid molecules after any aptamer selection experiment. As a result, the search for the fittest aptamers has become a laborious and time-consuming task. Herein, we present an optimized approach for the label-free characterization of DNA and RNA aptamers in parallel. The developed method consists in an Enzyme-Linked OligoNucleotide Assay (ELONA) coupled to either real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR, for DNA aptamers) or reverse transcription qPCR (RTqPCR, for RNA aptamers), which allows the detection of aptamer-target interactions in the high femtomolar range. We have applied this methodology to the affinity analysis of DNA and RNA aptamers selected against the poly(C)-binding protein 2 (PCBP-2). In addition, we have used ELONA-(RT)qPCR to quantify the dissociation constant (Kd) and maximum binding capacity (Bmax) of 16 high affinity DNA and RNA aptamers. The Kd values of the high affinity DNA aptamers were compared to those derived from colorimetric ELONA performed in parallel. Additionally, Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assays (EMSA) were used to confirm the binding of representative PCBP-2-specific RNA aptamers in solution. We propose this ELONA-(RT)qPCR approach as a general strategy for aptamer characterization, with a broad applicability in biotechnology and biomedicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Moreno
- Laboratory of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain.
| | - María Fernández-Algar
- Laboratory of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Jorge Ramajo
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (CSIC-UAM), 28049 Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - Carlos Briones
- Laboratory of Molecular Evolution, Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), Torrejón de Ardoz, 28850 Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), 28029 Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Development and characterization of novel 2'-F-RNA aptamers specific to human total and glycated hemoglobins. Anal Biochem 2019; 570:43-50. [PMID: 30742800 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2019.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Aptamers are short DNA and RNA fragments which bind their molecular targets with affinity and specificity comparable to those of antibodies. Here, we describe the selection of novel 2'-F-RNA aptamers against total human hemoglobin or its glycated form HbA1c. After SELEX and high-throughput sequencing of the enriched libraries, affinities and specificities of candidate aptamers and their truncated variants were examined by the solid-phase bioluminescent assay. As a result, we identified aptamers specific to both hemoglobins or only glycated HbA1c. The developed 2'-F-RNA aptamers have shown their applicability for detection of total and glycated hemoglobin in one sample.
Collapse
|
42
|
Acquah C, Agyei D, Obeng EM, Pan S, Tan KX, Danquah MK. Aptamers: an emerging class of bioaffinity ligands in bioactive peptide applications. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2019; 60:1195-1206. [PMID: 30714390 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2018.1564234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The food and health applications of bioactive peptides have grown remarkably in the past few decades. Current elucidations have shown that bioactive peptides have unique structural arrangement of amino acids, conferring distinct functionalities, and molecular affinity characteristics. However, whereas interest in the biological potency of bioactive peptides has grown, cost-effective techniques for monitoring the structural changes in these peptides and how these changes affect the biological properties have not grown at the same rate. Due to the high binding affinity of aptamers for other biomolecules, they have a huge potential for use in tracking the structural, conformational, and compositional changes in bioactive peptides. This review provides an overview of bioactive peptides and their essential structure-activity relationship. The review further highlights on the types and methods of synthesis of aptamers before the discussion of the prospects, merits, and challenges in the use of aptamers for bioaffinity interactions with bioactive peptides.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caleb Acquah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Sarawak, Malaysia.,School of Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Dominic Agyei
- Department of Food Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Eugene Marfo Obeng
- Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Monash University, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sharadwata Pan
- School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Kei Xian Tan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Michael Kobina Danquah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Cai S, Yan J, Xiong H, Liu Y, Peng D, Liu Z. Investigations on the interface of nucleic acid aptamers and binding targets. Analyst 2019; 143:5317-5338. [PMID: 30357118 DOI: 10.1039/c8an01467a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acid aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA of 20-100 nucleotides in length that have attracted substantial scientific interest due to their ability to specifically bind to target molecules via the formation of three-dimensional structures. Compared to traditional protein antibodies, aptamers have several advantages, such as their small size, high binding affinity, specificity, flexible structure, being chemical synthesizable and modifiable, good biocompatibility, high stability and low immunogenicity, which all contribute to their widely applications in the biomedical field. To date, much progress has been made in the study and applications of aptamers, however, detailed information on how aptamers bind to their targets is still scarce. Over the past few decades, many methods have been introduced to investigate the aptamer-target binding process, such as measuring the main kinetic or thermodynamic parameters, detecting the structural changes of the binding complexes, etc. Apart from traditional physicochemical methods, various types of molecular docking programs have been applied to simulate the aptamer-target interactions, while these simulations also have limitations. To facilitate the further research on the interactions, herein, we provide a brief review to illustrate the recent advances in the study of aptamer-target interactions. We summarize the binding targets of aptamers, such as small molecules, macromolecules, and even cells. Their binding constants (KD) are also summarized. Methods to probe the aptamer-target binding process, such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR), circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), footprinting assay, truncation and mutation assay, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), X-ray crystallography and molecular docking simulation are indicated. The binding forces mediating the aptamer-target interactions, such as hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interaction, the hydrophobic effect, π-π stacking and van der Waals forces are summarized. The challenges and future perspectives are also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shundong Cai
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, PR China.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Zununi Vahed S, Fathi N, Samiei M, Maleki Dizaj S, Sharifi S. Targeted cancer drug delivery with aptamer-functionalized polymeric nanoparticles. J Drug Target 2018; 27:292-299. [PMID: 29929413 DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2018.1491978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Based on exceptional advantages of aptamers, increasing attention has been presented in the utilise of them as targeted ligands for cancer drug delivery. Recently, the progress of aptamer-targeted nanoparticles has presented new therapeutic systems for several types of cancer with decreased toxicity and improved efficacy. We highlight some of the promising formulations of aptamer-conjugated polymeric nanoparticles for specific targeted drug delivery to cancer cells. This review paper focuses on the current progresses in the use of the novel strategies to aptamer-targeted drug delivery for chemotherapy. An extensive literature review was performed using internet database, mainly PubMed based on MeSH keywords. The searches included full-text publications written in English without any limitation in date. The abstracts, reviews, books as well as studies without obvious relating of aptamers as targeted ligands for cancer drug delivery were excluded from the study. The reviewed literature revealed that aptamers with ability to modify and conjugate to various molecules can be used as targeted cancer therapy agents. However, development of aptamers unique to each individual's tumour to the development of personalised medicine seems to be needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sepideh Zununi Vahed
- a Kidney Research Center , Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran
| | - Nazanin Fathi
- b Immunology Research Center , Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran
| | - Mohammad Samiei
- c Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry , Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran
| | - Solmaz Maleki Dizaj
- d Dental and Periodontal Research Center , Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran
| | - Simin Sharifi
- d Dental and Periodontal Research Center , Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Diao D, Qiao N, Wu X, Li J, Lou X. An efficient method to evaluate experimental factor influence on in vitro binding of aptamers. Anal Biochem 2018; 556:7-15. [PMID: 29913134 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2018.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based aptamers are promising alternative to antibodies, however, their selection process (SELEX) is challenging. A number of simulations and few experiments have been reported offering insights into experimental factors (EFs) that govern the effectiveness of the selection process. Though useful, these previous studied were either lack of experimental confirmation, or considered limited EFs. A more efficient experimental method is highly desired. In this study, we developed a fast method that is capable to quantitatively probe the influence of multiple EFs. Based on the fact that the aptamer enrichment efficiency is highly affected by background binding, the binding ratio between the numbers of specific aptamer binders and nonspecific (unselected library) binders per bead was used to quantitatively evaluate EF effects. Taking thrombin and streptavidin as models, three previously studied EFs (surface coverage, buffer composition, and DNA concentration) and four never-studied ones (surface chemistry, heat treatment, elution methodology and pool purity) were investigated. The EFs greatly affected binding ratio (ranging from 0.03 ± 0.03 to 14.60 ± 2.30). The results were in good agreement with the literature, suggesting the good feasibility of our method. Our study provides guidance for the choice of EFs not only for aptamer selection, but also for binding evaluation of aptamers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Donglin Diao
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Xisanhuan North Road. 105, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Na Qiao
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Xisanhuan North Road. 105, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Xiao Wu
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Xisanhuan North Road. 105, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Jiyuan Li
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Xisanhuan North Road. 105, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Xinhui Lou
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Xisanhuan North Road. 105, Beijing, 100048, China.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Rahimi F. Aptamers Selected for Recognizing Amyloid β-Protein-A Case for Cautious Optimism. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19030668. [PMID: 29495486 PMCID: PMC5877529 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19030668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aptamers are versatile oligonucleotide ligands used for molecular recognition of diverse targets. However, application of aptamers to the field of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) has been limited so far. Aβ is an intrinsically disordered protein that exists in a dynamic conformational equilibrium, presenting time-dependent ensembles of short-lived, metastable structures and assemblies that have been generally difficult to isolate and characterize. Moreover, despite understanding of potential physiological roles of Aβ, this peptide has been linked to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease, and its pathogenic roles remain controversial. Accumulated scientific evidence thus far highlights undesirable or nonspecific interactions between selected aptamers and different Aβ assemblies likely due to the metastable nature of Aβ or inherent affinity of RNA oligonucleotides to β-sheet-rich fibrillar structures of amyloidogenic proteins. Accordingly, lessons drawn from Aβ–aptamer studies emphasize that purity and uniformity of the protein target and rigorous characterization of aptamers’ specificity are important for realizing and garnering the full potential of aptamers selected for recognizing Aβ or other intrinsically disordered proteins. This review summarizes studies of aptamers selected for recognizing different Aβ assemblies and highlights controversies, difficulties, and limitations of such studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Farid Rahimi
- Division of Biomedical Science and Biochemistry, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Development of Cell-Specific Aptamers: Recent Advances and Insight into the Selection Procedures. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22122070. [PMID: 29186905 PMCID: PMC6149766 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22122070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Revised: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) is an established procedure for developing short single-stranded nucleic acid ligands called aptamers against a target of choice. This approach has also been used for developing aptamers specific to whole cells named Cell-SELEX. Aptamers selected by Cell-SELEX have the potential to act as cell specific therapeutics, cell specific markers or cell specific drug delivery and imaging agents. However, aptamer development is a laborious and time-consuming process which is often challenging due to the requirement of frequent optimization of various steps involved in Cell-SELEX procedures. This review provides an insight into various procedures for selection, aptamer enrichment, regeneration and aptamer-binding analysis, in addition to a very recent update on all aptamers selected by Cell-SELEX procedures.
Collapse
|
48
|
Agyei D, Acquah C, Tan KX, Hii HK, Rajendran SRCK, Udenigwe CC, Danquah MK. Prospects in the use of aptamers for characterizing the structure and stability of bioactive proteins and peptides in food. Anal Bioanal Chem 2017; 410:297-306. [PMID: 28884330 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-017-0599-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Food-derived bioactive proteins and peptides have gained acceptance among researchers, food manufacturers and consumers as health-enhancing functional food components that also serve as natural alternatives for disease prevention and/or management. Bioactivity in food proteins and peptides is determined by their conformations and binding characteristics, which in turn depend on their primary and secondary structures. To maintain their bioactivities, the molecular integrity of bioactive peptides must remain intact, and this warrants the study of peptide form and structure, ideally with robust, highly specific and sensitive techniques. Short single-stranded nucleic acids (i.e. aptamers) are known to have high affinity for cognate targets such as proteins and peptides. Aptamers can be produced cost-effectively and chemically derivatized to increase their stability and shelf life. Their improved binding characteristics and minimal modification of the target molecular signature suggests their suitability for real-time detection of conformational changes in both proteins and peptides. This review discusses the developmental progress of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX), an iterative technology for generating cost-effective aptamers with low dissociation constants (K d) for monitoring the form and structure of bioactive proteins and peptides. The review also presents case studies of this technique in monitoring the structural stability of bioactive peptide formulations to encourage applications in functional foods. The challenges and potential of aptamers in this research field are also discussed. Graphical abstract Advancing bioactive proteins and peptide functionality via aptameric ligands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Agyei
- Department of Food Science, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Caleb Acquah
- Curtin Sarawak Research Institute, Curtin University, 98009, Sarawak, Malaysia.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, 98009, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Kei Xian Tan
- Curtin Sarawak Research Institute, Curtin University, 98009, Sarawak, Malaysia.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, 98009, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Hieng Kok Hii
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, 98009, Sarawak, Malaysia
| | - Subin R C K Rajendran
- Verschuren Centre for Sustainability in Energy and the Environment, Cape Breton University, Sydney, NS, B1P 6L2, Canada
| | - Chibuike C Udenigwe
- School of Nutrition Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Michael K Danquah
- Curtin Sarawak Research Institute, Curtin University, 98009, Sarawak, Malaysia. .,Department of Chemical Engineering, Curtin University, 98009, Sarawak, Malaysia.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Mokhtarzadeh A, Tabarzad M, Ranjbari J, de la Guardia M, Hejazi M, Ramezani M. Aptamers as smart ligands for nano-carriers targeting. Trends Analyt Chem 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2016.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
|
50
|
Perez-Gonzalez C, Lafontaine DA, Penedo JC. Fluorescence-Based Strategies to Investigate the Structure and Dynamics of Aptamer-Ligand Complexes. Front Chem 2016; 4:33. [PMID: 27536656 PMCID: PMC4971091 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2016.00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to the helical nature of double-stranded DNA and RNA, single-stranded oligonucleotides can arrange themselves into tridimensional structures containing loops, bulges, internal hairpins and many other motifs. This ability has been used for more than two decades to generate oligonucleotide sequences, so-called aptamers, that can recognize certain metabolites with high affinity and specificity. More recently, this library of artificially-generated nucleic acid aptamers has been expanded by the discovery that naturally occurring RNA sequences control bacterial gene expression in response to cellular concentration of a given metabolite. The application of fluorescence methods has been pivotal to characterize in detail the structure and dynamics of these aptamer-ligand complexes in solution. This is mostly due to the intrinsic high sensitivity of fluorescence methods and also to significant improvements in solid-phase synthesis, post-synthetic labeling strategies and optical instrumentation that took place during the last decade. In this work, we provide an overview of the most widely employed fluorescence methods to investigate aptamer structure and function by describing the use of aptamers labeled with a single dye in fluorescence quenching and anisotropy assays. The use of 2-aminopurine as a fluorescent analog of adenine to monitor local changes in structure and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) to follow long-range conformational changes is also covered in detail. The last part of the review is dedicated to the application of fluorescence techniques based on single-molecule microscopy, a technique that has revolutionized our understanding of nucleic acid structure and dynamics. We finally describe the advantages of monitoring ligand-binding and conformational changes, one molecule at a time, to decipher the complexity of regulatory aptamers and summarize the emerging folding and ligand-binding models arising from the application of these single-molecule FRET microscopy techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cibran Perez-Gonzalez
- Laboratory for Biophysics and Biomolecular Dynamics, SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. AndrewsSt Andrews, UK
| | - Daniel A. Lafontaine
- RNA Group, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Université de SherbrookeSherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - J. Carlos Penedo
- Laboratory for Biophysics and Biomolecular Dynamics, SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St. AndrewsSt Andrews, UK
- Laboratory for Biophysics and Biomolecular Dynamics, Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St. AndrewsSt. Andrews, UK
| |
Collapse
|