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In Vitro Selection of Aptamers to Differentiate Infectious from Non-Infectious Viruses
Published on: September 7, 2022
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DNA aptamers selection for Staphylococcus aureus cells by SELEX and Cell-SELEX
Mariane Izabella Abreu de Melo1, Pricila da Silva Cunha2,3, Iêda Mendes Ferreira2
1Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear, CDTN, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. mariane.melo@cdtn.br.
Molecular Biology Reports
|October 31, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed DNA aptamers to detect Staphylococcus aureus, a common cause of infections. These aptamers show high affinity and specificity, offering potential for improved bacterial diagnostics and targeted therapies.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Molecular Biology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus is a prevalent pathogen causing infections in skin, soft tissues, bone, and prostheses.
- Accurate and rapid diagnosis of S. aureus is crucial for effective treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To select and characterize DNA aptamers for specific detection of Staphylococcus aureus.
- To explore the diagnostic potential of these aptamers for bacterial identification.
Main Methods:
- Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential Enrichment (SELEX) was employed, starting with peptidoglycan and followed by cell-SELEX using S. aureus.
- Candidate aptamer sequences were evaluated for their binding affinity and specificity against S. aureus and other microbial species.
Main Results:
- Four DNA aptamer sequences demonstrated significant binding to S. aureus.
- ApSA1 and ApSA3 exhibited high affinity (Kd values of 62.7 ± 5.6 nM and 43.3 ± 3.0 nM, respectively) and specificity for S. aureus.
- These aptamers effectively distinguished S. aureus from control organisms including Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Conclusions:
- The selected aptamers can identify peptidoglycan on the S. aureus surface.
- These aptamers hold significant potential for developing novel diagnostic tools, such as radiopharmaceuticals for identifying infectious foci.
- Aptamer-based methodologies offer a promising avenue for bacteria diagnosis.
