Adaptive SELEX Strategies Against HCV Core Protein Lead to the Same Aptamer

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Molecular Biology
• Virology

Background:

• Aptamer selection (SELEX) methods can vary, impacting results.
• Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) core protein is a key diagnostic target.
• Standardized and validated aptamer selection is crucial for reliable diagnostics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the accuracy and reproducibility of aptamer selection across different SELEX procedures.
• To select and characterize DNA aptamers targeting the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) core protein.
• To evaluate the suitability of selected aptamers for developing novel HCV detection tools.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two consecutive aptamer selection approaches against different variations of HCV core protein.
• Employed bacterial lysates and purified recombinant protein as selection targets.
• Investigated aptamer functionality and binding affinity using Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and Enzyme-Linked Oligonucleotide Assay (ELONA).

Main Results:

• Successfully selected three DNA aptamers (AptHCV14F, AptHCV4.2F, AptHCV7.2R) against HCV core protein.
• One selected aptamer, AptHCV14F, showed sequence identity to a previously reported aptamer.
• All identified aptamers demonstrated high-affinity binding to HCV core protein.

Conclusions:

• The study validates the accuracy of aptamer selection across varied SELEX protocols.
• Selected aptamers are effective binders of HCV core protein.
• These aptamers hold significant potential for next-generation Hepatitis C Virus diagnostic and screening applications.