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Published on: March 25, 2020
Automated in vitro selection to obtain functional oligonucleotides
H Zhang1, A Hamasaki, E Toshiro
1Department of Biological Science and Technology, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8506, Japan.
Nucleic Acids Symposium Series
|August 9, 2003
Summary
Automated in vitro selection using SELEX accelerates aptamer discovery. This new system efficiently generates nucleic acid aptamers for environmental contaminants, overcoming the limitations of traditional methods.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Systematic evolution of ligand by exponential enrichment (SELEX) is crucial for identifying high-affinity aptamers.
- Traditional SELEX processes are often repetitive and time-consuming, hindering rapid aptamer development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an automated system for in vitro selection to streamline aptamer generation.
- To create a machine capable of performing SELEX efficiently and reducing manual labor.
Main Methods:
- An automated system was assembled, integrating an affinity chromatography column, a PCR thermal cycler, and a HPLC system.
- Key molecular biology techniques were optimized for integration into the automated platform.
- The automated system was employed for the selection of aptamers against a specific environmental contaminant.
Main Results:
- The developed automated system successfully performed in vitro selection.
- Nucleic acid aptamers with specific binding capabilities were generated.
- The automation significantly reduced the time and effort associated with the SELEX process.
Conclusions:
- The automated SELEX system offers a more efficient and faster approach to aptamer discovery.
- This technology has the potential to accelerate the development of aptamers for various applications, including environmental monitoring.
