DNA Aptamer-Target Binding Motif Revealed Using a Fluorescent Guanine Probe: Implications for Food Toxin Detection.

ABSTRACT: DNA aptamers are single-stranded oligonucleotides that are generated by an in vitro selection method to bind targets with high affinity and specificity. Understanding molecular recognition by DNA aptamers is of fundamental importance in the development of biosensor applications. The small molecule ochratoxin A (OTA) is a fungal-derived food toxin, and OTA DNA aptamers have been established for the development of rapid detection platforms required for food safety. One such OTA aptamer (OTAA) is a guanine-rich DNA oligonucleotide that folds into an antiparallel G-quadruplex (GQ) upon OTA binding, although structural details of the GQ fold and its interaction with OTA are currently unknown. In the present study, the fluorescent nucleobase analogue, 8-thienyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (ThdG), was inse

SUBMITTER: Fadock KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6044742 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature