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15:23
Selection of Aptamers for Amyloid β-Protein, the Causative Agent of Alzheimer's Disease
Published on: May 13, 2010
Aptamers can discriminate alkaline proteins with high specificity
Hanyang Yu1, Bing Jiang, John C Chaput
1Center for Evolutionary Medicine and Informatics, The Biodesign Institute, and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, USA.
Chembiochem : a European Journal of Chemical Biology
|October 25, 2011
Summary
Researchers developed DNA aptamers capable of binding histone H4 with high affinity and selectivity. This breakthrough overcomes previous limitations in aptamer technology for targeting alkaline proteins like histones.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Nucleic Acid Chemistry
Background:
- Aptamers are nucleic acid molecules selected for specific target binding.
- Traditionally, aptamers struggle to bind alkaline proteins due to charge interactions.
- Histones, positively charged proteins, are challenging targets for aptamer selection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the feasibility of selecting DNA aptamers that can bind alkaline proteins.
- To develop an aptamer with high affinity and selectivity for histone proteins.
- To challenge the notion that aptamers cannot discriminate alkaline proteins.
Main Methods:
- In vitro selection process to isolate specific DNA aptamers from random sequences.
- Characterization of aptamer binding affinity (K(d)) and selectivity against histone proteins.
- Thermodynamic analysis (ΔΔG) to quantify binding selectivity.
Main Results:
- Successfully selected a DNA aptamer that binds histone H4 with a K(d) of 13 nM.
- Demonstrated 100 to 480-fold selectivity for histone H4 over other core histones (ΔΔG up to 3.4 kcal mol(-1)).
- This aptamer exhibits strong discrimination against alkaline proteins.
Conclusions:
- Aptamers can be selected to bind alkaline proteins with high affinity and selectivity.
- This finding expands the fundamental understanding of aptamer capabilities.
- Opens new avenues for developing protein affinity reagents targeting challenging biomolecules.
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