Rationally designing aptamer sequences with reduced affinity for controlled sensor performance.

ABSTRACT: The relative ease of predicting the secondary structure of nucleic acid sequences lends itself to the design of sequences to perform desired functions. Here, we combine the utility of nucleic acid aptamers with predictable control over the secondary structure to rationally design sequences with controlled affinity towards a target analyte when employed as the recognition element in an electrochemical sensor. Specifically, we present a method to modify an existing high-gain aptamer sequence to create sequences that, when employed in an electrochemical, aptamer-based sensor, exhibit reduced affinity towards a small molecule analyte tobramycin. Sensors fabricated with the high-gain parent sequence saturate at concentrations much below the therapeutic window for tobramycin (7-18 µM). According

SUBMITTER: Schoukroun-Barnes LR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4431182 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature