Aptamer Selection against a Trichomonas vaginalis Adhesion Protein for Diagnostic Applications

Trichomoniasis, caused by Trichomonas vaginalis, is the leading nonviral sexually transmitted infection worldwide. We report the selection of a DNA aptamer against a T. vaginalis adhesion protein, AP65, using a microtiter plate-based in vitro combinatorial chemistry process termed systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment. The enriched library pool was sequenced by next-generation sequencing, and several aptamer candidates with high affinity and specificity were identified. The aptamer with the highest affinity and specificity had a K_D in the low nanomolar range, as confirmed by three different techniques: surface plasmon resonance, enzyme-linked aptamer assay, and biolayer interferometry. The selected aptamer was demonstrated to have a high specificity to the AP65 protein and to T. vaginalis cells with no cross-reactivity to other enteric and urogenital microorganisms. Current work is focused on the development of inexpensive and easy-to-use aptamer-based diagnostic assays for the reliable and rapid detection of T. vaginalis in vaginal swabs.