Current Perspectives on Aptamers as Diagnostic Tools and Therapeutic Agents.

ABSTRACT: Aptamers are synthetic single-stranded DNA or RNA sequences selected from combinatorial oligonucleotide libraries through the well-known in vitro selection and iteration process, SELEX. The last three decades have witnessed a sudden boom in aptamer research, owing to their unique characteristics, like high specificity and binding affinity, low immunogenicity and toxicity, and ease in synthesis with negligible batch-to-batch variation. Aptamers can specifically bind to the targets ranging from small molecules to complex structures, making them suitable for a myriad of diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In analytical scenarios, aptamers are used as molecular probes instead of antibodies. They have the potential in the detection of biomarkers, microorganisms, viral agents, environmental

SUBMITTER: Kumar Kulabhusan P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7407196 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature