Selection of nucleic acids aptamers with four non-canonical bases for biomedical applications

New accurate and cost-effective technologies are required for precision detection and analysis of human disorders and environmental biomarkers. To this end, aptamers, specific nucleic acid sequences that tightly bind to a broad range of biomolecules (e.g., proteins, toxins, antibiotics), demonstrate great potential. They have quickly become alternatives to protein-based agents, antibodies, in various applications including diseases treatment (e.g., bleeding disorders, cancer, inflammation), targeted drug delivery, biosensors, or research tools. Relative to antibodies, aptamers have compelling biochemical benefits such as structural flexibility, thermal stability, no need of animals for production, no batch-to-batch variations making them more efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly. As a key feature, they can build potential interaction with nonimmunogenic, toxic, and low molecular weight molecules, which are not suitable for antibody generation.

Nevertheless, natural aptamers still have some limitations that restrict their application as a therapeutic and diagnostic tool. This includes fast degradation in biological fluids and a limited number of chemical groups. In this project, we examine the effect of different modified nucleotides on a success rate of aptamer identification on various molecular targets. Our research promises to develop ground-breaking techniques that will solve longstanding problems in human health and biotechnology.