A novel concept that target DNA can induce switching of DNA polymerase activity is devised. The method relies on the finding that a DNA aptamer can undergo conformational change upon hybridization with a complementary target DNA, which leads to activation or inactivation of DNA polymerase. This strategy is utilized to identify the presence of target DNA with high levels of sensitivity and selec...

The generation of nucleic acid aptamers with high affinity typically entails a time-consuming, iterative process of binding, separation, and amplification. It would therefore be beneficial to develop an efficient selection strategy that can generate these high-quality aptamers rapidly, economically, and reproducibly. Toward this goal, we have developed a method that efficiently generates DNA ap...

Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) is a powerful method for the identification of small oligonucleotides that bind with high affinity and specificity to target proteins. Such DNAs/RNAs are a new class of potential chemotherapeutics that could block the enzymatic activity of pathologically relevant proteins. We have conducted a detailed biochemical study of the int...

Nucleic acid aptamers hold promise as therapeutic tools for specific, tailored inhibition of protein targets with several advantages when compared to small molecules or antibodies. Nuclear WW domain containing E3 ubiquitin ligase 1 (WWP1) ubiquitin ligase poly-ubiquitinates Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), a key transcription factor associated with osteoblast differentiation. Since ...

A light-up fluorescent probe for the detection of adenosine was constructed with an AIE (aggregation-induced emission) molecule and a DNA aptamer. The AIE molecule was used as a signal generator, and the DNA aptamer was used as a recognition element for adenosine. The emission of the AIE molecule was due to its intramolecular rotation restriction induced by the aptamer upon binding of adenosine...

Tumor cell-derived exosomes are considered a potential source of cancer biomarkers. Here, we developed an electrochemical sensing platform for the rapid and simple detection exosomes, using CCRF-CEM exosome as model. The utilizes cyclic nicking enzyme cleavage hybridization chain reaction (HCR) dual-signal amplification. A hairpin aptamer probe (HAP) containing was designed assay. specific bind...

Over the last 10 years, fluorescent semiconductor QD (quantum dot)-biomolecule conjugates have emerged as a powerful new sensing platform showing great potential in a wide range of applications in biosensing, environmental monitoring and disease diagnosis. The present mini-review is a brief account of the recent developments in QD-NA (nucleic acid), particularly NA aptamer, conjugate-based bios...

A new DNA aptamer targeting Protein A is presented. The aptamer was selected by use of the FluMag-SELEX procedure. The SELEX technology (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment) is widely applied as an in vitro selection and amplification method to generate target-specific aptamers and exists in various modified variants. FluMag-SELEX is one of them and is characterized by the...

Using SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment), we serendipitously discovered a ssDNA aptamer that binds selectively to the anti-FLAG M2 antibody. The aptamer consisted of two motifs (CCTTA and TGTCTWCC) separated by 2-3 bases, and the elimination of one or the other motif abrogated binding. The DNA aptamer and FLAG peptide competed for binding to the antigen-binding po...

We developed a point-of-care testing method based on lateral flow assay for bevacizumab, using an anti-idiotypic DNA aptamer as the capture molecule. Bevacizumab loaded onto sample pad strip bound to red-colored aptamer-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in conjugation and then migrated into developing zone. The AuNPs bevacizumab were trapped by protein A test spot. In contrast, excess amounts...