Aptamer Sequence Optimization and Its Application in Food Safety Analysis

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Aptamers are nucleic acid-based ligands selected via SELEX for diverse applications.
• Their advantages include small size, stability, and ease of modification.
• Aptamers are increasingly utilized in food analysis for contaminant detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review methods for optimizing aptamer sequences.
• To highlight techniques that improve aptamer affinity and detection sensitivity.
• To provide an overview of non-immobilized aptamer optimization metrics.

Main Methods:

• Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) for aptamer screening.
• Sequence optimization techniques: truncation, mutation, chemical modification, rare nucleotide incorporation.
• Computational and biophysical methods: molecular docking, molecular dynamics, circular dichroism, isothermal titration calorimetry.
• Focus on non-immobilized optimization strategies.

Main Results:

• Optimized aptamers exhibit enhanced binding affinity to target molecules.
• Improved aptamer sequences lead to increased sensitivity in detecting analytes.
• Various optimization strategies contribute to superior aptamer performance in assays.
• Computer-aided design aids in rational aptamer sequence refinement.

Conclusions:

• Aptamer optimization is crucial for enhancing their utility in analytical applications.
• Sequence modification and computational approaches significantly boost aptamer performance.
• Optimized aptamers offer improved sensitivity and specificity for detecting food contaminants.
• This review consolidates key non-immobilized optimization metrics for aptamer development.