Analytical Applications of Aptamers

Year 2008, Volume: 36 Issue: 4, 273 - 282, 01.12.2008

Marco Mascini

Abstract

Aptamers are single stranded DNA or RNA ligands which can be selected for different targets starting from a libraryof molecules containing randomly created sequences. Aptamers have been selected to bind very different targets,from proteins to small organic dyes. Aptamers are proposed as alternatives to antibodies as biorecognition elementsin analytical devices with ever increasing frequency. This in order to satisfy the demand for quick, cheap, simple andhighly reproducible analytical devices, especially for protein detection in the medical field or for the detection of smallermolecules in environmental and food analysis. In our recent experience, DNA and RNA aptamers, specific for threedifferent proteins Tat, IgE and thrombin , have been exploited as bio-recognition elements to develop specificbiosensors aptasensors . These recognition elements have been coupled to piezoelectric quartz crystals and surfaceplasmon resonance SPR devices as transducers where the aptamers have been immobilized on the gold surfaceof the crystals electrodes or on SPR chips, respectively

Keywords

aptamers, Biosensors, Thrombin, IgE, HIV TAT protein

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