适配体探针传感技术进展

适配体是通过指数富集配基的系统进化技术体外筛选得到的一组能与靶分子高亲和、高特异性结合的寡核苷酸序列（单链DNA或RNA）。作为一类新型的功能分子,适配体己在生命科学、化学等领域获得愈来愈多的应用。以不同类型的示踪分子标记适配体后,该类适配体探针可以直观地将适配体与靶分子的特异性识别转化为灵敏的示踪信号,从而为金属离子、有机小分子、核酸和蛋白质等大分子乃至细胞等的检测提供一种灵敏、特异的新型模式。本文阐述适配体探针在多种传感技术方面中的应用,并着重介绍适配体探针荧光传感技术的最新发展。     

基于适配体的实时定量PCR检测血清中的人促红细胞生成素

基于适配体的高特异识别能力和可扩增性,构建了经磁分离后实时定量PCR检测重组人促红细胞生成素-α(rHuEPO -α)的新方法;针对实际血清样品中高丰度蛋白质等的干扰,利用碱基互补配对原理设计合成了分别与适配体两端引物区结合的互补链,通过凝胶迁移阻滞分析(EMSA)筛选出最佳的互补链,并将生物素化的互补链连接到链霉亲和素磁珠上,以此为探针捕获复杂基质中形成的待测复合物.研究结果表明,结合该样品前处理策略,该方法可成功地应用于正常人血清中的rHuEPO -α定量检测,检出限为25pmol/L,线性范围为50 pmol/L～ 50 nmol/L.     

基于磁珠分离的酶联适配体检测痕量蛋白质的新型比色分析方法

以核酸适配体作为高效专一的识别/传感元件, 构建了一种新型的磁性分离和特异性捕获的检测方法. 两个适配体通过简单的生物素化修饰, 利用其与凝血酶不同位点的高亲和力形成夹心结构, 其中连接适配体的磁珠可捕获蛋白质, 加入另一个适配体及链霉亲和素标记的辣根过氧化物酶后, 通过比色法实现靶蛋白检测. 该法操作简单, 分析时间短, 对凝血酶的线性响应范围为 10~80 nmol/L, 检出限为 10 nmol/L.     

基于裂开型核酸适配体的液晶生物传感检测三磷酸腺苷

利用“适配体-目标分子-适配体”的“三明治”夹心方式构建液晶生物传感检测三磷酸腺苷(ATP). 将ATP核酸适配体片段作为捕获探针固定在经TEA/DMOAP混合组装膜修饰的玻片基底表面, 当ATP存在时, 裂开的两部分核酸适配体与ATP结合形成双链结构, 有效诱导液晶分子取向发生变化从而引起光学信号的亮度及颜色发生变化, 实现对ATP的检测, 该方法在ATP浓度为10 nmol/L时仍可观测到明显的光学信号变化. 这种“适配体-目标分子-适配体”的“三明治”夹心式液晶生物传感方法具有无需标记, 操作简单等特点, 在快速检测小分子等物质领域中有广泛的应用前景.     

基于核酸适配体和纳米粒子的光学探针

核酸适配体(aptamer)是一类通过指数富集的配体系统进化技术(SELEX)经体外筛选得到的单链DNA或RNA。核酸适配体借自身形成的空间结构与靶标分子特异性结合,具有靶分子广、亲和力高、特异性强、易改造修饰等特点,因而在生命科学、临床诊断、药物发现和环境科学等方面得以广泛应用。近年来,核酸适配体与纳米技术结合,并利用纳米材料在光学、磁学、电学、化学及生物学方面表现出的特殊性质,实现了对靶标分子高灵敏度、高选择性、简便快速的识别与检测。本文评述了基于核酸适配体-纳米粒子特性的光学探针在生物大分子、金属离子和有机小分子检测等领域的应用现状与发展趋势,主要包括比色法、荧光光谱法、表面增强拉曼光谱法等。     

基于主客体竞争模式的凝血酶适配体传感器的研究

基于β-环糊精(β-CD)主客体竞争模式,构建了开关型凝血酶适配体电化学传感器.将末端修饰了二茂铁(Fc)的核酸适配体通过与β-CD的主客体识别固定在金电极表面,当凝血酶存在时,适配体由原来的直立线状构型变为"G-四链体",远离电极表面,适配体探针的氧化还原电流强度减小,即"Signal-off".利用此效应对凝血酶进行了灵敏检测,结果表明,在5.0×10-13~5.0×10-9 mol/L浓度范围内,凝血酶的浓度与电化学响应信号呈良好的线性关系,检出限为2.0×10-13 mol/L(3σ).与其它蛋白分子相比,本方法对凝血酶蛋白的检测具有高特异性.本传感器构建简单,再生性好,为生物血清样本中凝血酶的实时高效检测提供了方法.     

小分子靶标的核酸适配体筛选的研究进展

核酸适配体(aptamer)是通过指数富集配体系统进化(SELEX)技术筛选得到的核糖核酸(RNA)或单链脱氧核糖核酸(ssDNA)。核酸适配体通过高亲和力特异性地识别小分子、蛋白质、细胞、微生物等多种靶标,在生物、医药、食品和环境检测等领域的应用日渐增多。但目前实际可用的核酸适配体有限,其筛选过程复杂,筛选难度大,制约了其应用。与生物大分子、细胞和微生物等靶标不同,小分子靶标与核酸分子的结合位点少、亲和力弱,且靶标通常需要固定在载体上。此外,小分子靶标结合核酸形成的复合物与核酸自身的大小、质量、电荷性质等方面差异较小,二者的分离难度大。故小分子靶标的核酸适配体筛选过程与大分子和细胞等复合靶标相比有明显差异,筛选难度更大。因此需要根据其自身结构特点和核酸适配体的应用目的选定靶标或核酸库的固定方法,优化靶标核酸复合物的分离方法。本文介绍了不同类型小分子(具有基团差异的单分子、含相同基团分子和手性分子等)靶标的选择及其核酸适配体的筛选方法,并对核酸库的设计、与靶标结合的核酸的分离方法和亲和作用表征方法进行了介绍,列出了自2008年以来报道的40余种小分子靶标的核酸适配体序列和复合物的平衡解离常数(K_d)。     

采用纳米金和荧光标记的适配体检测凝血酶

将荧光染料分子标记的含29个碱基的可识别凝血酶的DNA适配体非特异吸附到纳米金表面,荧光发生猝灭,加入凝血酶后,凝血酶与适配体特异性结合,使适配体空间结构发生改变,荧光染料分子远离纳米金表面,荧光恢复,因此可以实现对凝血酶的检测。实验结果表明,这种检测方法简便、快速、特异性强,检出限为0.54 nmol/L(对应样品体积为200μL)。     

基于磁性辅助的杂交链反应放大检测三磷酸腺苷

本文提出了一种基于磁性辅助的杂交链反应放大检测三磷酸腺苷(ATP)的传感策略。磁性纳米粒子表面易于修饰,而且操作方便,具有很好的分离效果,能够提高生物传感的选择性。首先,利用生物素与链霉亲和素之间的亲和力作用,将生物素标记的ATP核酸适配体连接到链霉亲和素修饰的磁性纳米粒子表面,加入与ATP核酸适配体互补的一段DNA进行杂交,通过磁性分离除去未杂交上的DNA,加入靶向ATP,ATP与其适配体特异性结合将适配体的互补链通过磁性分离出来,磁性分离出的信号DNA继续用于下一步的杂交链反应,将信号放大,最后利用氧化石墨烯(GO)对荧光的猝灭效应降低背景荧光,达到高灵敏度、高选择性检测靶向ATP。其中,ATP的最低检测浓度为0.1nmol/L。     

利用互补核酸杂交富集金胶实现信号扩增的电化学凝血酶蛋白生物传感器研究

介绍了一种利用互补核酸杂交富集金胶实现信号扩增的蛋白质生物传感器. 以凝血酶蛋白为研究对象, 利用凝血酶蛋白相对应的两段核酸适配体, 将适配体Ⅰ固定在磁性颗粒上, 用于特异性地捕获蛋白, 将适配体Ⅱ标记金胶作为检测信标. 由凝血酶蛋白和相对应的两段核酸适配体构建三明治结构的凝血酶蛋白生物传感器. 另外, 再通过信标金胶上过剩的核酸适配体链与另一段标记有金胶的互补核酸进一步杂交, 获得金胶的选择性聚集, 实现了信号扩增. 通过信号扩增, 使此传感器的灵敏度大大提高, 对凝血酶蛋白的检测下限可达到4.52×10-15 mol/L. 平行测定浓度为7.47×10-14 mol/L的凝血酶8次, 其RSD为3.0%. 该生物传感器对凝血酶蛋白有很好的特异性, 其它蛋白如溶菌酶和牛血清白蛋白的存在对于检测没有影响.     

A simple and rapid approach for measurement of dissociation constants of DNA aptamers against proteins and small molecules via automated microchip electrophoresis

Automated microchip electrophoresis was used as a simple and rapid method to measure effective dissociation constants (K(d,eff)) of aptamers against both large and small molecule targets. Human thrombin, immunoglobulin E (IgE), and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) were selected as model analytes to validate the method, with four ligands including two DNA aptamers for thrombin (two distinct epitopes), an IgE aptamer, and an ATP aptamer. The approach is based on a microchip version of a DNA mobility shift assay. Non-denaturing microchip gel electrophoresis separations of DNA could resolve and quantify unbound from target-bound aptamers when using large molecules as targets. To extend the technique to small molecule targets such as ATP, an aptamer/competitor strategy was used, in which a DNA competitor complementary to the aptamer could be displaced by ATP and electrophoretically resolved. Using an automated microchip electrophoresis platform, parallel separations of 11 titration samples were completed in ~0.5 h. Analytical performance comparisons show that our approach provides significant advantages in minimized reagent consumption (typically tens of pmol of aptamer and target), reduced analysis time, and minimized user interaction when compared to previously reported methods for aptamer K(d) measurement. Moreover, the flexibility and ease of K(d,eff) measurement for aptamers against large and small targets make this a unique and valuable approach that should find widespread use. Finally, the feasibility of using this method during aptamer selection processes (e.g. SELEX) was shown by accurate bulk K(d,eff) measurement of a known thrombin aptamer (THRaptA) spiked into a random-sequence DNA pool at as low as 5.0% (molar %) of the total pool; only ~825 fmol of total binding sequences were needed for an 11-point titration curve.     

Single-walled carbon nanotube biosensors using aptamers as molecular recognition elements

We report the real-time detection of protein using SWNT-FET-based biosensors comprising DNA aptamers as molecular recognition elements. Anti-thrombin aptamers that are highly specific to serine protein thrombin were immobilized on the sidewall of a SWNT-FET using CDI-Tween linking molecules. The binding of thrombin aptamers to SWNT-FETs causes a rightward shift of the threshold gate voltages, presumably due to the negatively charged backbone of the DNA aptamers. While the addition of thrombin solution causes an abrupt decrease in the conductance of the thrombin aptamer immobilized SWNT-FET, no noticeable change was observed with elastase.     

Arrest of Rolling Circle Amplification by Protein‐Binding DNA Aptamers

Certain DNA polymerases, such as ?29 DNA polymerase, can isothermally copy the sequence of a circular template round by round in a process known as rolling circle amplification (RCA), which results in super‐long single‐stranded (ss) DNA molecules made of tandem repeats. The power of RCA reflects the high processivity and the strand‐displacement ability of these polymerases. In this work, the ability of ?29DNAP to carry out RCA over circular templates containing a protein‐binding DNA aptamer sequence was investigated. It was found that protein–aptamer interactions can prevent this DNA polymerase from reading through the aptameric domain. This finding indicates that protein‐binding DNA aptamers can form highly stable complexes with their targets in solution. This novel observation was exploited by translating RCA arrest into a simple and convenient colorimetric assay for the detection of specific protein targets, which continues to showcase the versatility of aptamers as molecular recognition elements for biosensing applications.     

Modified capillary electrophoresis based measurement of the binding between DNA aptamers and an unknown concentration target

The recognition of targets such as biomacromolecules, viruses and cells by their aptamers is crucial in aptamer-based biosensor platforms and research into protein function. However, it is difficult to evaluate the binding constant of aptamers and their targets that are hard to purify and quantify, especially when the targets are undefined. Therefore, we aimed to develop a modified capillary electrophoresis based method to determine the dissociation constant of aptamers whose targets are hard to quantify. A protein target, human thrombin, and one of its aptamers were used to validate our modified method. We demonstrated that the result calculated by our method, only depending on the aptamer’s concentrations, was consistent with the classical method, which depended on the concentrations of both the aptamers and the targets. Furthermore, a series of DNA aptamers binding with avian influenza virus H9N2 were confirmed by a four-round selection of capillary electrophoresis–systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment, and we identified the binding constant of these aptamers by directly using the whole virus as the target with the modified method. In conclusion, our modified method was validated to study the interaction between the aptamer and its target, and it may also advance the evaluation of other receptor–ligand interactions.     

Label free,highly sensitive and selective recognition of small molecule using gold surface confined aptamers

A highly sensitive and selective small molecule detection platform has been developed using aptamers immobilized on electrode surface. In our system, two aptamers were used – one of which is for ATP recognition and the other is for signal produce. We designed two probes L1 (containing ATP aptamer and a part of hemin aptamer) and L2 (containing the complementary strand of ATP aptamer and the rest of hemin aptamer) and immobilized L1 on electrode surface. L2 was used to hybridize to L1 and form L1–L2 duplex which brought the two parts of hemin aptamer into close proximity. Then hemin can be captured by this duplex and detected by electrochemical methods. When we introduced ATP into the system, the ATP binding destroyed the duplex and L2 diffused into the solution. As a result, hemin cannot be captured to bring electrochemical signal.     

Novel application of fluorescence coupled capillary electrophoresis to resolve the interaction between the G‐quadruplex aptamer and thrombin

The dynamic binding status between the thrombin and its G‐quadruplex aptamers and the stability of its interaction partners were probed using our previously established fluorescence‐coupled capillary electrophoresis method. A 29‐nucleic acid thrombin binding aptamer was chosen as a model to study its binding affinity with the thrombin ligand. First, the effects of the cations on the formation of G‐quadruplex from unstructured 29‐nucleic acid thrombin binding aptamer were examined. Second, the rapid binding kinetics between the thrombin and 6‐carboxyfluorescein labeled G‐quadruplex aptamer was measured. Third, the stability of G‐quadruplex aptamer–thrombin complex was also examined in the presence of the interfering species. Remarkably, it was found that the complementary strand of 29‐nucleic acid thrombin binding aptamer could compete with G‐quadruplex aptamer and thus disassociated the G‐quadruplex structure into an unstructured aptamer. These data suggest that our in‐house established fluorescence‐coupled capillary electrophoresis assay could be applied to binding studies of the G‐quadruplex aptamers, thrombin, and their ligands, while overcoming the complicated and costly approaches currently available.     

Surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy study of interfacial binding of thrombin to antithrombin DNA aptamers

We have applied surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy, in combination with one-step direct binding, competition, and sandwiched assay schemes, to study thrombin binding to its DNA aptamers, with the aim to further the understanding of their interfacial binding characteristics. Using a 15-mer aptamer that binds thrombin primarily at the fibrinogen-recognition exosite as a model, we have demonstrated that introducing a DNA spacer in the aptamer enhances thrombin-binding capacity and stability, as similarly reported for hydrocarbon linkers. The bindings are aptamer surface coverage and salt concentration dependent. When free aptamers or DNA sequences complementary to the immobilized aptamer are applied after the formation of thrombin/aptamer complexes, bound thrombin is displaced to a certain extent, depending on the stability of the complexes formed under different conditions. When the 29-mer aptamer (specific to thrombin's heparin-binding exosite) is immobilized on the surface, its affinity to thrombin appears to be lower than the immobilized 15-mer aptamer, although the 29-mer aptamer is known to have a higher affinity in the solution phase. These findings underline the importance of aptamers' ability to fold into intermolecular structures and their accessibility for target capture. Using a sandwiched assay scheme followed by an additional signaling step involving biotin-streptavidin chemistry, we have observed the simultaneous binding of the 15- and 29-mer aptamers to thrombin protein at different exosites and have found that one aptamer depletes thrombin's affinity to the other when they bind together. We believe that these findings are invaluable for developing DNA aptamer-based biochips and biosensors.     

Single-Round DNA Aptamer Selection by Combined Use of Capillary Electrophoresis and Next Generation Sequencing: An Aptaomics Approach for Identifying Unique Functional Protein-Binding DNA Aptamers

In DNA aptamer selection, existing methods do not discriminate aptamer sequences based on their binding affinity and function and the reproducibility of the selection is often poor, even for the selection of well-known aptamers like those that bind the commonly used model protein thrombin. In the present study, a novel single-round selection method (SR-CE selection) was developed by combining capillary electrophoresis (CE) with next generation sequencing. Using SR-CE selection, a successful semi-quantitative and semi-comprehensive aptamer selection for thrombin was demonstrated with high reproducibility for the first time. Selection rules based on dissociation equilibria and kinetics were devised to obtain families of analogous sequences. Selected sequences of the same family were shown to bind thrombin with high affinity. Furthermore, data acquired from SR-CE selection was mined by creating sub-libraries that were categorized by the functionality of the aptamers (e. g., pre-organized aptamers versus structure-induced aptamers). Using this approach, a novel fluorescent molecular recognition sensor for thrombin with nanomolar detection limits was discovered. Thus, in this proof-of-concept report, we have demonstrated the potential of a “DNA Aptaomics” approach to systematically design functional aptamers as well as to obtain high affinity aptamers.     

Electrospray ionization of nucleic acid aptamer/small molecule complexes for screening aptamer selectivity

Molecular recognition of small molecule ligands by the nucleic acid aptamers for tobramycin, ATP, and FMN has been examined using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Mass spectrometric data for binding stoichiometry and relative binding affinity correlated well with solution data for tobramycin aptamer complexes, in which aptamer/ligand interactions are mediated by hydrogen bonds. For the ATP and FMN aptamers, where ligand interactions involve both hydrogen bonding and significant pi-stacking, the relative binding affinities determined by MS did not fully correlate with results obtained from solution experiments. Some high-affinity aptamer/ligand complexes appeared to be destabilized in the gas phase by internal Coulombic repulsion. In CAD experiments, complexes with a greater number of intermolecular hydrogen bonds exhibited greater gas-phase stability even in cases when solution binding affinities were equivalent. These results indicate that in at least some cases, mass spectrometric data on aptamer/ligand binding affinities should be used in conjunction with complementary techniques to fully assess aptamer molecular recognition properties.     

Aptamer-barcode based immunoassay for the instantaneous derivatization chemiluminescence detection of IgE coupled to magnetic beads

We report on a highly sensitive aptameric assay system for the determination of IgE, where a special chemiluminescence (CL) reagent, 3,4,5-trimethoxylphenylglyoxal (TMPG), acts as the signaling molecule and polystyrene beads as the amplification platform. Briefly, a "sandwich-type" detection strategy is employed in our design, where magnetic beads functionalized with a capture antibody were reacted with the target protein IgE, and then sandwiched with the aptamer-barcodes which were prepared by assembling polystyrene beads with IgE aptamer. The target immunoreaction event could be sensitively detected via an instantaneous derivatization reaction between TMPG and the guanine (G) nucleotides within the aptamer-barcodes to form an unstable CL intermediate for the generation of light. Further signal amplification is achieved by extending the G nucleotide-rich domain on the aptamer backbone for second amplification. Such simple amplified CL transduction allows the detection of IgE down to the 4.6 pM level, which is better than most previous aptameric methods for IgE detection. This new protocol also provides a good capability in discriminating IgE from nontarget proteins such as IgG, IgA, IgM, interferon and thrombin. The practical application of the proposed aptamer-barcode based immunoassay was successfully carried out for the determination of IgE in 20 human serum samples. It is straightforward to adapt this strategy to detect a spectrum of other proteins by using different aptamers, thus this method may offer a new direction in designing high-performance CL aptasensors for early diagnoses of diseases.