Solution phase aptamer selection for challenging small molecule and biological targets
Oligonucleotide-based aptamers can selectively bind with high affinity to target molecules, and systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) can be used to screen for and amplify the desired aptamer. However, some simple target molecules with few functional groups, like glucose and other monosaccharides, glycine, and fatty acids, have proven resistant to aptamer targeting. This technology is a method that utilizes organic reagents to improve the selective binding of DNA aptamers to simple targets. This technology has the potential to enable the use of aptamers to detect and analyze small molecules in situ.
Enhanced aptamer-target binding for detection of challenging analytes in solution
This technology is a method for targeting simple small molecules with aptamers by enhancing aptamer-target binding. To achieve this, an organometallic reagent is used to create enhanced DNA aptamers capable of forming a DNA-metal-target complex with the target small molecule. This technology enables aptamer-mediated solution-phase detection of challenging targets that previously could not be targeted. It could be developed for the detection and analysis of small molecules in solution, or further modified for use in fluorescent detection of analytes or fluorescence microscopy applications.
Using this method, functional aptamer matches for both glucose and amino acid complexes have been identified in solution.
Lead Inventor:
Applications:
- Development of aptamer-based sensors
- Clinical diagnostic tools
- Food and beverage monitoring
- Allergen detection
- Fluorescence microscopy
- Basic research tool for organometallic-biomolecule reagent development
Advantages:
- Selects functional aptamers for challenging targets
- Identifies high affinity aptamer matches for compounds that have no known matches (e.g. glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids)
- Can be used to detect challenging targets in solution phase
- Generates physiologically relevant synapses between AD neurons.
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Patent Information:
Patent Pending (WO/2014/144744)
Patent Pending (US 20160076021)
Tech Ventures Reference: IR CU13095, CU15216
Related Publications:
- F.S. Katz, L. Schneider, M Luzac, A. Hastings-Robinson, D.W. Landry, M.N Stojanovic. Identification of compounds that protect and reactivate acetylcholinerase. 11th International Meeting on Cholinesterases, 4-9 June 2012, Kazan, Russia.
- Yang KA1, Pei R, Stefanovic D, Stojanovic MN. “Optimizing cross-reactivity with evolutionary search for sensors.” J Am Chem Soc. 2012 Jan 25;134(3):1642-7.