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aptamer screening service:Introduction to Nucleic acid aptamers

Date:2025-12-21

Introduction to Nucleic Acid Aptamers

What Are Aptamers?

Nucleic acid aptamers are short, single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules that fold into specific three-dimensional structures, enabling them to bind to target molecules with high affinity and specificity. The word “aptamer” comes from the Latin aptus (to fit) and the Greek meros (part).

Key Characteristics

  • Size: Typically 20-80 nucleotides in length

  • Binding affinity: Often in nanomolar to picomolar range

  • Specificity: Can distinguish between closely related molecules

  • Synthetic origin: Created through in vitro selection processes

How Aptamers Are Created: SELEX

Aptamers are developed through SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment), an iterative process involving:

  1. Incubation of a random nucleic acid library with the target

  2. Separation of binding sequences from non-binders

  3. Amplification of selected sequences

  4. Repetition over multiple rounds (typically 8-15 cycles)

Advantages of Aptamers

Compared to antibodies, aptamers offer:

  • Chemical synthesis: Reproducible production without batch variability

  • Modifiability: Can be chemically modified for stability and functionality

  • Temperature stability: Can often be refolded after denaturation

  • Non-immunogenic: Low immunogenicity in therapeutic applications

  • Target range: Can bind to toxins, non-immunogenic molecules, and small compounds

Applications

  1. Diagnostics: Biosensors, detection assays (aptasensors)

  2. Therapeutics: Targeted drug delivery, direct inhibitors (“chemical antibodies”)

  3. Research tools: Protein detection, cellular imaging, biomarker discovery

  4. Analytical chemistry: Affinity purification, chromatography

Current Challenges

  • Susceptibility to nuclease degradation (especially RNA aptamers)

  • Renal clearance due to small size

  • Limited cellular uptake without delivery systems

  • Need for optimization of chemical modifications

Notable Examples

  • Pegaptanib (Macugen): First FDA-approved aptamer drug for age-related macular degeneration

  • AS1411: A G-quadruplex forming DNA aptamer in clinical trials for cancer

Future Directions

Research focuses on improved chemical modifications, delivery systems, and expanding the range of targetable molecules. Aptamers represent a versatile class of recognition elements bridging the molecular recognition properties of antibodies with the chemical advantages of nucleic acids.