Advances in the Application of Modified Nucleotides in SELEX Technology

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Chemical Biology

Background:

• Aptamers are crucial molecular recognition tools for biological detection and blocking.
• The limited four-letter alphabet of DNA/RNA restricts aptamer chemical diversity compared to proteins.
• Chemical modification of nucleotides offers a strategy to enhance aptamer potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advancements in aptamer selection techniques.
• To highlight methods for creating aptamers with an extended genetic alphabet.
• To discuss the implications of increased chemical diversity in aptamer applications.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent scientific publications.
• Analysis of various aptamer selection strategies.
• Focus on approaches incorporating chemically modified nucleotides.

Main Results:

• Several novel approaches for aptamer selection with an expanded genetic alphabet have emerged.
• These methods allow for the incorporation of a wider range of chemical functionalities into aptamers.
• The review details the latest achievements in this rapidly evolving field.

Conclusions:

• Chemical modification significantly broadens the scope and utility of aptamers.
• Extended genetic alphabets enhance aptamer specificity and functionality for diverse applications.
• Future research will likely focus on optimizing selection and application of these modified aptamers.