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.     

Homogeneous assays using aptamers

Aptamers are DNA or RNA oligonucleotides that can bind with high affinity and specificity to a wide range of targets such as proteins, metal ions or pathogenic microorganisms. Soluble aptamers and aptazymes have been used as sensing elements for developing homogeneous assays in a solution phase, the whole sensing process being carried out in a homogeneous solution. Contrary to most conventional heterogeneous assays that are time-consuming and labor-intensive, aptamer-based homogeneous assays are simple, easy-to-perform, rapid and do not require immobilization nor washing steps. To our knowledge, this review is the first entirely dedicated to aptamer-based homogeneous assays. Optical detection appears as the most developed technique. Colorimetry represents the simplest sensing mode that occupies a very important position among aptamer-based assays, involving gold nanoparticle aggregation (with unmodified or aptamer-modified gold NPs), the formation of HRP-mimicking DNAzyme with hemin, dye displacement or interactions with a cationic polymer. Fluorescence that is highly sensitive offers the most developed detection mode. Aptamers can be labeled or not, to give rise to turn-on or usually less sensitive turn-off fluorescent assays. Newly reported and thus less developed non-conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electrochemistry also recently appeared in the literature, thrombin still remains the main detected target. Homogeneous assays based on aptazyme, an aptamer sequence connected to a known ribozyme motif, are also described in this review, involving optical detection, by colorimetry or fluorescence.     

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.     

Aptamer-based electrochemical sensors that are not based on the target binding-induced conformational change of aptamers

This study describes a new kind of aptamer-based electrochemical sensor that is not based on the target binding-induced conformational change of the aptamers by using a 15-mer thrombin-binding aptamer (5'-GGTTGGTGTGGTTGG-3') as the model oligonucleotide. The sensors are developed by first self-assembling the aptamer (i.e. a thrombin-binding aptamer) onto an Au electrode and then hybridizing the assembled aptamer with a ferrocene (Fc)-labeled short aptamer-complementary DNA oligonucleotide to form an electroactive double-stranded DNA (ds-DNA) oligonucleotide onto the Au electrode. The binding of the target (i.e. thrombin) towards the aptamer essentially destroys the Watson-Crick helix structure of the ds-DNA oligonucleotide assembled onto the electrode and leads to the dissociation of the Fc-labeled short complementary DNA oligonucleotide from the electrode surface to the solution, resulting in a decrease in the current signal obtained at the electrode, which can be used for the determination of the target. With the thrombin-binding aptamer as the model oligonucleotide, the current decrease obtained with the aptamer-based electrochemical sensors is linear with the concentration of thrombin within the concentration range from 0 to 10 nM (DeltaI/nA = 6.7C(thrombin)/nM + 2.8, gamma = 0.975). Unlike most kinds of existing aptamer-based electrochemical sensor, the electrochemical aptasensors demonstrated here are not based on the conformational change of the aptamers induced by the specific target binding. Moreover, the aptasensors are essentially label-free and are very responsive toward the targets. This study may pave a facile and general way to the development of aptamer-based electrochemical sensors.     

Discussion of the protein characterization techniques used in the identification of membrane protein targets corresponding to tumor cell aptamers

Aptamer is an oligonucleotide chain with specific binding ability to protein and other targets,which is widely used in ma ny fields.Because of its ability to screen the premise of unknown targets,it can be used to discover some novel tumor markers,i.e.,membrane proteins that are specifically highly expressed on the surface of tumor cells.Tumor markers can be used in many fields such as early diagnosis and treatment,and a new type of tumor marker proved to be effective can significantly improve the therapeutic effect of such tumors.However,further characterization of newly acquired membrane proteins is essential for their clinical use as tumor markers.This review first briefly introduced the process of obtaining novel tumor markers from nucleic acid aptamers.Next,the commonly used protein characterization methods could be used as a technical means to identify membrane protein targets corresponding to tumor cell aptamers,to clarify the principles,advantages and disadvantages of various means,and to analyze the most suitable situations for various experimental methods.Finally,the outlook was made and the characterization methods that should be used in such experiments were summarized.     

High-sensitive determination of human alpha-thrombin by its 29-mer aptamer in affinity probe capillary electrophoresis

ACE technique provides an effective tool for the separation and identification of disease-related biomarkers in clinical analysis. In recent years, a couple of synthetic DNA or RNA oligonucleotides, known as aptamers, rival the specificity and affinity for targets to antibodies and are employed as one kind of powerful affinity probe in ACE. In this work, based on high affinity between antithrombin aptamer and thrombin (their dissociation constant is 0.5 nM), a carboxyfluorescein-labeled 29-nucleotide (nt) aptamer (F29-mer) was used and an aptamer-based affinity probe CE (aptamer-based APCE) method was successfully established for high-sensitive detection and quantitative analysis of thrombin. Experimental conditions including incubation temperature and time, buffer composition, and concentration of cations were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized condition, the linear range was from 0 to 400 nM and the LOD was 2 nM (74 ng/mL, S/N = 3), i.e., 40 amol, both in running buffer and in 5% v/v human serum. This LOD is the lowest one than those achieved by the previous APCE methods but based on a 15-mer aptamer. This approach offers a promising method for the rapid, selective, and sensitive detection of thrombin in practical utility. Further binding experiments using one carboxyfluorescein-labeled aptamer and the other nonlabeled aptamer or vice versa were carried out to deduce the formation of ternary complex when these two aptamers coexisted in the free solution with thrombin.     

化学修饰提高核酸适体结合亲和力的研究进展

核酸适体(Aptamer)是通过体外筛选得到的短单链DNA或RNA寡核苷酸, 具有与抗体相当或更优异的特异性及亲和力, 且具有靶标范围广、 易制备和灵活可控修饰、 免疫原性低、 批次差异性小以及易于运输保存等优势, 为食品、 环境和生物医学等领域提供了全新的分子识别工具, 获得了研究者的广泛关注. 但是目前其商业应用的数量仍有限. 为了增强核酸适体的应用性能, 研究者对核酸适体进行了大量的改性研究. 本文系统总结了核酸适体筛选前、 后采用非共价或共价方式对其进行化学修饰, 以增加核酸适体与靶标的结合亲和力的相关研究进展, 并对未来发展前景进行了展望.     

蛋白质的核酸适配体筛选的研究进展

核酸适配体是通过指数富集系统配体进化(SELEX)筛选获得的,与靶标具有高亲和力和特异性结合的单链DNA或RNA。蛋白质是生命进程中的关键功能分子。近年来,以蛋白质为靶标的适配体筛选在蛋白质相关的基础及应用研究领域受到广泛关注。核酸适配体应用性能的优劣取决于其亲和力、特异性与稳定性。目前,适配体筛选方法的优化主要是提高筛选效率、提升适配体性能及降低筛选成本。适配体主要筛选步骤包括复合物分离、核酸库优化、次级库的富集、适配体序列分析以及亲和力表征等。迄今为止,以蛋白质-核酸复合物的分离为核心步骤的适配体筛选方法有20余种。本文归纳总结了2005年以来以蛋白质为靶标的适配体筛选技术,讨论了各方法的缺陷与局限。介绍了核酸库的设计优化方法、适配体的序列特征,以及常用的亲和力表征方法。     

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.     

High-throughput binding characterization of RNA aptamer selections using a microplate-based multiplex microcolumn device

We describe a versatile 96-well microplate-based device that utilizes affinity microcolumn chromatography to complement downstream plate-based processing in aptamer selections. This device is reconfigurable and is able to operate in serial and/or parallel mode with up to 96 microcolumns. We demonstrate the utility of this device by simultaneously performing characterizations of target binding using five RNA aptamers and a random library. This was accomplished through 96 total selection tests. Three sets of selections tested the effects of target concentration on aptamer binding compared to the random RNA library using aptamers to the proteins green fluorescent protein (GFP), human heat shock factor 1 (hHSF1), and negative elongation factor E (NELF-E). For all three targets, we found significant effects consistent with steric hindrance with optimum enrichments at predictable target concentrations. In a fourth selection set, we tested the partitioning efficiency and binding specificity of our three proteins’ aptamers, as well as two suspected background binding sequences, to eight targets running serially. The targets included an empty microcolumn, three affinity resins, three specific proteins, and a non-specific protein control. The aptamers showed significant enrichments only on their intended targets. Specifically, the hHSF1 and NELF-E aptamers enriched over 200-fold on their protein targets, and the GFP aptamer enriched 750-fold. By utilizing our device’s plate-based format with other complementary plate-based systems for all downstream biochemical processes and analysis, high-throughput selections, characterizations, and optimization were performed to significantly reduce the time and cost for completing large-scale aptamer selections.

Poly(methyl methacrylate) microchip affinity capillary gel electrophoresis of aptamer-protein complexes for the analysis of thrombin in plasma

Thrombin generation in blood serves as an important marker for various hemostasis-related diseases and conditions. Analytical techniques currently utilized for determining the thrombin potential of patients rely primarily on the enzymatic activity of thrombin. Microfluidic-based ACE using fluorescently labeled aptamers as affinity probes could provide a simple and efficient technique for the real-time analysis of thrombin levels in plasma. In this study, aptamers were used for the analysis of thrombin by affinity microchip CGE. The CGE used a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microfluidic device for the sorting of the affinity complexes with a linear polyacrylamide (LPA) serving as the sieving matrix. Due to the fact that the assay was run under nonequilibrium electrophoresis conditions, the presence of the sieving gel was found to stabilize the affinity complex, providing improved electrophoretic performance compared to free-solution electrophoresis. Two fluorescently labeled aptamer affinity probes, HD1 and HD22, which bind to exosites I and II, respectively, of thrombin were investigated. With an electric field strength of 300 V/cm, two well-resolved peaks corresponding to free aptamer and the thrombin-aptamer complex were obtained in less than 1 min of separation time with a run-to-run and chip-to-chip reproducibility (RSD) of migration times <10% using both aptamers. HD22 affinity assays of thrombin produced baseline-resolved peaks with favorable efficiency due to its higher binding affinity, whereas HD1 assays showed poorer resolution of the free aptamer and complex peaks. HD22 was used in determining the level of thrombin in human plasma. Assays were performed directly on plasma that was diluted to 10% v/v. Thrombin was successfully analyzed by microchip CGE at a concentration level of 543.5 nM for the human plasma sample.     

Sandwich-type aptasensor employing modified aptamers and enzyme-DNA binding protein conjugates

The use of aptamers in various analytical applications as molecular recognition elements and alternative to antibodies has led to the development of various platforms that facilitate the sensitive and specific detection of targets ranging from small molecules and proteins to whole cells. The goal of this work was to design a universal and adaptable sandwich-type aptasensor exploiting the unique properties of DNA binding proteins. Specifically, two different enzyme-DNA binding protein conjugates, GOx-dHP and HRP-scCro, were used for the direct detection of a protein using two aptamers for target capture and detection. The specific dsDNA binding sequence for each DNA binding protein tag was incorporated in the form of a hairpin at one end of each aptamer sequence during the synthesis step. Detection was accomplished by an enzymatic (GOx/HRP) cascade reaction after the binding of each enzyme conjugate to its corresponding binding sequence on each aptamer. The proposed sandwich-type aptasensor was validated for the detection of thrombin, which is one of the most commonly used model targets with known dual aptamers. The limit of detection accomplished was 0.92 nM which is comparable with other colorimetric platforms reported in the literature. The sensitivity of the aptasensor was easily modulated by changing the number of dsDNA binding sites incorporated in the aptamer sequences, thus controlling the enzyme stoichiometry. Finally, the potential use of the proposed sensing approach for real sample testing was demonstrated using spiked human plasma and no significant matrix effects were observed when up to 2% plasma was used.

     

Aptamers: molecular tools for analytical applications

Aptamers are artificial nucleic acid ligands, specifically generated against certain targets, such as amino acids, drugs, proteins or other molecules. In nature they exist as a nucleic acid based genetic regulatory element called a riboswitch. For generation of artificial ligands, they are isolated from combinatorial libraries of synthetic nucleic acid by exponential enrichment, via an in vitro iterative process of adsorption, recovery and reamplification known as systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). Thanks to their unique characteristics and chemical structure, aptamers offer themselves as ideal candidates for use in analytical devices and techniques. Recent progress in the aptamer selection and incorporation of aptamers into molecular beacon structures will ensure the application of aptamers for functional and quantitative proteomics and high-throughput screening for drug discovery, as well as in various analytical applications. The properties of aptamers as well as recent developments in improved, time-efficient methods for their selection and stabilization are outlined. The use of these powerful molecular tools for analysis and the advantages they offer over existing affinity biocomponents are discussed. Finally the evolving use of aptamers in specific analytical applications such as chromatography, ELISA-type assays, biosensors and affinity PCR as well as current avenues of research and future perspectives conclude this review.     

基于微磁珠分离技术的适配体实时定量PCR检测方法

利用适配体的识别能力和可扩增性, 构建了基于微磁珠分离技术的适配体实时定量聚合酶链式反应(PCR)检测方法. 通过微磁珠偶联的互补链与适配体序列之间的碱基配对结合, 有效除去溶液中未与靶分子结合的适配体序列, 采用实时定量PCR技术测定上清液中结合态的适配体序列浓度, 从而间接实现对靶分子的定量检测. 分别选取代表生物大分子和有机小分子的凝血酶和ATP作为检测对象, 验证了该方法的普适性. 研究结果表明, 在获取特异性适配体序列后, 仅需简单优化其互补链序列, 即可对超低含量的凝血酶和ATP进行准确定量, 检出限分别为50 pmol/L和5 μmol/L. 该方法具有同时适用于高特异性和高灵敏度地检测生物大分子和有机小分子的优势.     

Evaluation of Relative Aptamer Binding to Campylobacter jejuni Bacteria Using Affinity Probe Capillary Electrophoresis

Abstract

A qualitative capillary electrophoresis immunoassay was developed for the first-time to evaluate aptamer binding to bacterial cells. Binding affinity of aptamers developed against a Campylobacter jejuni bacterial cell target, relative to other common food-borne pathogens was investigated and specific binding affinity was evidenced by pronounced mobility shift and peak broadening with increasing bacteria concentration for both aptamers. Little to no mobility shift was observed for food-borne pathogens, Salmonella typhirium and Escherichia coli, even when increasing concentrations 10-fold over target. These results suggest that affinity probe capillary electrophoresis could be useful for qualitative screening of aptamer candidates for bacterial cell targets.     

全细胞的核酸适配体筛选的研究进展

核酸适配体(aptamer)是从人工合成的随机单链DNA(ssDNA)或RNA文库中筛选得到的,能够高亲和力、高特异性地与靶标结合的ssDNA或RNA。核酸适配体的靶标范围广,可包括小分子、蛋白质、细胞、微生物等多种靶标。其中以细胞为靶标的适配体在生物感应、分子成像、医学诊断、药物传输和疾病治疗等领域有很大的应用潜能。但全细胞的核酸适配体筛选过程复杂,筛选难度大,筛选的适配体性能不佳是导致目前可用的适配体非常有限的主要原因。由于细胞表面蛋白质在提取纯化过程中分子结构和形态会发生改变,故以膜表面蛋白质为靶标筛选的适配体很难应用于识别整体细胞。以全细胞为靶标的核酸适配体筛选则不需要准确了解细胞表面的分子结构,筛选过程中可保持细胞的天然状态,以全细胞为靶标筛选出的核酸适配体有望直接用于全细胞识别。本文总结了2008~2015年全细胞的核酸适配体筛选的研究进展,介绍了靶细胞的分类、核酸库的设计、筛选条件和方法以及核酸适配体的亲和力表征方法等。并列出全细胞靶标的核酸适配体序列。     

A non-aggregation colorimetric assay for thrombin based on catalytic properties of silver nanoparticles

In this paper, we developed a simple and rapid colorimetric assay for protein detection based on the reduction of dye molecules catalyzed by silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Aptamer-modified magnetic particles and aptamer-functionalized AgNPs were employed as capture and detection probes, respectively. Introduction of thrombin as target protein could form a sandwich-type complex involving catalytically active AgNPs, whose catalytic activity was monitored on the catalytic reduction of rhodamine B (RhB) by sodium borohydride (NaBH₄). The amount of immobilized AgNPs on the complex increased along with the increase of the thrombin concentration, thus the detection of thrombin was achieved via recording the decrease in absorbance corresponding to RhB. This method has adopted several advantages from the key factors involved, i.e., the sandwich binding of affinity aptamers contributed to the increased specificity; magnetic particles could result in rapid capture and separation processes; the conjugation of AgNPs would lead to a clear visual detection. It allows for the detection limit of thrombin down to picomolar level by the naked eye, with remarkable selectivity over other proteins. Moreover, it is possible to apply this method to the other targets with two binding sites as well.     

Aptamers as analytical reagents

Many important analytical methods are based on molecular recognition. Aptamers are oligonucleotides that exhibit molecular recognition; they are capable of specifically binding a target molecule, and have exhibited affinity for several classes of molecules. The use of aptamers as tools in analytical chemistry is on the rise due to the development of the "systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment" (SELEX) procedure. This technique allows high-affinity aptamers to be isolated and amplified when starting from a large pool of oligonucleotide sequences. These molecules have been used in flow cytometry, biosensors, affinity probe electrophoresis, capillary electrochromatography, and affinity chromatography. In this paper, we will discuss applications of aptamers which have led to the development of aptamers as chromatographic stationary phases and applications of these stationary phases; and look towards future work which may benefit from the use of aptamers as stationary phases.     

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.