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Beyazit F, Arica MY, Acikgoz-Erkaya I, Ozalp C, Bayramoglu G. Quartz crystal microbalance-based aptasensor integrated with magnetic pre-concentration system for detection of Listeria monocytogenes in food samples. Mikrochim Acta 2024; 191:235. [PMID: 38570380 PMCID: PMC10990998 DOI: 10.1007/s00604-024-06307-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
A fast and accurate identification of Listeria monocytogenes. A new quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) aptasensor was designed for the specific and rapid detection of L. monocytogenes. Before detection of the target bacterium from samples in the QCM aptasensor, a magnetic pre-enrichment system was used to eliminate any contaminant in the samples. The prepared magnetic system was characterized using ATR-FTIR, SEM, VSM, BET, and analytical methods. The saturation magnetization values of the Fe3O4, Fe3O4@PDA, and Fe3O4@PDA@DAPEG particles were 57.2, 40.8, and 36.4 emu/g, respectively. The same aptamer was also immobilized on the QCM crystal integrated into QCM flow cell and utilized to quantitatively detect L. monocytogenes cells from the samples. It was found that a specific aptamer-magnetic pre-concentration system efficiently captured L. monocytogenes cells in a short time (approximately 10 min). The Fe3O4@PDA@DA-PEG-Apt particles provided selective isolation of L. monocytogenes from the bacteria-spiked media up to 91.8%. The immobilized aptamer content of the magnetic particles was 5834 µg/g using 500 ng Apt/mL. The QCM aptasensor showed a very high range of analytical performance to the target bacterium from 1.0 × 102 and 1.0 × 107 CFU/mL. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) were 148 and 448 CFU/mL, respectively, from the feeding of the QCM aptasensor flow cell with the eluent of the magnetic pre-concentration system. The reproducibility of the aptasensor was more than 95%. The aptasensor was very specific to L. monocytogenes compared to the other Listeria species (i.e., L. ivanovii, L. innocua, and L. seeligeri) or other tested bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis. The QCM aptasensor was regenerated with NaOH solution, and the system was reused many times.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatma Beyazit
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Çanakkale, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Yakup Arica
- Biochemical Processing and Biomaterial Research Laboratory, Gazi University, 06500, Teknikokullar, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ilkay Acikgoz-Erkaya
- Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ahi Evran University, Kırsehir, Turkey
| | - Cengiz Ozalp
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, Atilim University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Gulay Bayramoglu
- Biochemical Processing and Biomaterial Research Laboratory, Gazi University, 06500, Teknikokullar, Ankara, Turkey.
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Gazi University, 06500, Teknikokullar, Ankara, Turkey.
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2
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Shi L, Jin Y, Liu J. Intramolecular aptamer switches. Analyst 2024; 149:745-750. [PMID: 38193253 DOI: 10.1039/d3an02022c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Aptamer switches as effective biosensing tools have become a focal point of research in engineered aptasensors. Intramolecular aptamer switches are more versatile, affordable, and simpler than classical "open-close" and strand displacement-based aptamer switches. Recently, many new aptamers with an overall hairpin structure have been reported. In this study, intramolecular aptamer switches were developed by adding new base pairs to the end of aptamers. The additional nucleotides can pair with the internal domains of the aptamer, causing a change in its conformation from the original secondary structure without a target. When a target binds to an aptamer, a marked change in the structure of the aptamer is expected. As models for testing this intramolecular aptamer switch idea, aptamers of oxytetracycline (OTC), 17β-estradiol (E2), and adenosine were employed. When the additional base pairs are too long, binding the target to the aptamer becomes more challenging. This research offers valuable insights into the development of intramolecular aptamer switches and their potential applications in biosensor design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Shi
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science of Shaanxi Province, Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China.
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Yan Jin
- Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science of Shaanxi Province, Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, China.
| | - Juewen Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada.
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Van Echelpoel R, Joosten F, Parrilla M, De Wael K. Progress on the Electrochemical Sensing of Illicit Drugs. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 187:413-442. [PMID: 38273206 DOI: 10.1007/10_2023_239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Illicit drugs are harmful substances, threatening both health and safety of societies in all corners of the world. Several policies have been developed over time to deal with this illicit drug problem, including supply reduction and harm reduction policies. Both policies require on-site detection tools to succeed, i.e. sensors that can identify illicit drugs in samples at the point-of-care. Electrochemical sensors are highly suited for this task, due to their short analysis times, low cost, high accuracy, portability and orthogonality with current technologies. In this chapter, we evaluate the latest trend in electrochemical sensing of illicit drugs, with a focus on detection of illicit drugs in seizures and body fluids. Furthermore, we will also provide an outlook on the potential of electrochemistry in wearable sensors for this purpose.
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Ji C, Wei J, Zhang L, Hou X, Tan J, Yuan Q, Tan W. Aptamer-Protein Interactions: From Regulation to Biomolecular Detection. Chem Rev 2023; 123:12471-12506. [PMID: 37931070 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Serving as the basis of cell life, interactions between nucleic acids and proteins play essential roles in fundamental cellular processes. Aptamers are unique single-stranded oligonucleotides generated by in vitro evolution methods, possessing the ability to interact with proteins specifically. Altering the structure of aptamers will largely modulate their interactions with proteins and further affect related cellular behaviors. Recently, with the in-depth research of aptamer-protein interactions, the analytical assays based on their interactions have been widely developed and become a powerful tool for biomolecular detection. There are some insightful reviews on aptamers applied in protein detection, while few systematic discussions are from the perspective of regulating aptamer-protein interactions. Herein, we comprehensively introduce the methods for regulating aptamer-protein interactions and elaborate on the detection techniques for analyzing aptamer-protein interactions. Additionally, this review provides a broad summary of analytical assays based on the regulation of aptamer-protein interactions for detecting biomolecules. Finally, we present our perspectives regarding the opportunities and challenges of analytical assays for biological analysis, aiming to provide guidance for disease mechanism research and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cailing Ji
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Junyuan Wei
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Xinru Hou
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Jie Tan
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Quan Yuan
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Weihong Tan
- Molecular Science and Biomedicine Laboratory (MBL), State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
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5
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Yu H, Zhao Q. Profiling Additional Effects of Aptamer Fluorophore Modification on Microscale Thermophoresis Characterization of Aptamer-Target Binding. Anal Chem 2023; 95:17011-17019. [PMID: 37946406 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c03603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Aptamers are promising affinity ligands with considerable applications, such as biosensors, disease diagnosis, therapy, etc. Characterization of aptamer-target binding is important in aptamer selection and aptamer applications. Microscale thermophoresis (MST) is an emerging optical technique for molecular interactions, which monitors fluorescence responses of fluorescent molecules in a microscopic temperature gradient. Harnessing merits in trace sample consumption, high speed, free separation, free immobilization, and ratiometric analysis, MST draws intense wide attention. MST is often applied for aptamer-target binding studies using fluorescently labeled aptamers. However, the MST signal is strongly dependent on fluorophore modifications at aptamers, which brings additional challenges and effects for MST analyzing aptamer affinity. Here, we systematically explored effects of fluorophore modifications (e.g., fluorophore types, fluorophore positions, etc.) of aptamer probes on MST characterizing aptamer-target interactions and identified gaps of MST analysis in aptamer affinity determination, taking aptamers against cadmium ions and aflatoxin B1 as two representatives. The same aptamers with different fluorophore modifications showed distinct MST signals in response magnitudes and signs as well as determined affinities, and some of them failed to respond to target binding and gave false affinity information in MST. A competitive MST method can be used to extract the affinity of unmodified aptamers, excluding effects of fluorophore modification. This work highlights that appropriate fluorophore modification is crucial in MST analysis of aptamer affinity, and caution is needed in MST applications, providing a basis for rational design of the MST method for the reliable molecular interaction study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qiang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
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Li X, Yang Z, Waniss M, Liu X, Wang X, Xu Z, Lei H, Liu J. Multiplexed SELEX for Sulfonamide Antibiotics Yielding a Group-Specific DNA Aptamer for Biosensors. Anal Chem 2023; 95:16366-16373. [PMID: 37882488 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c03787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
The widespread use of sulfonamide (SA) antibiotics in animal husbandry has led to residues of SAs in the environment, causing adverse effects to the ecosystem and a risk of bacterial resistance, which is a potential threat to public health. Therefore, it is highly desirable to develop simple, high-throughput methods that can detect multiple SAs simultaneously. In this study, we isolated aptamers with different specificities based on a multi-SA systematic evolution of ligands by the exponential enrichment (SELEX) strategy using a mixture of sulfadimethoxine (SDM), sulfaquinoxaline (SQX), and sulfamethoxazole (SMZ). Three aptamers were obtained, and one of them showed a similar binding to all tested SAs, with dissociation constant (Kd) ranging from 0.22 to 0.63 μM. For the other two aptamers, one is specific for SQX, and the other is specific for SDM and sulfaclozine. A label-free detection method based on the broad-specificity aptamer was developed for the simultaneous detection of six SAs, with detection of limits ranging from 0.14 to 0.71 μM in a lake water sample. The aptasensor has no binding for other broad-spectrum antibiotics such as β-lactam antibiotics, quinolones, tetracyclines, and chloramphenicol. This work provides a promising biosensor for rapid, multiresidue, and high-throughput detection of SAs, as well as a shortcut for the preparation of different specific recognition elements required for the detection of broad-spectrum antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangmei Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Zehao Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Michelle Waniss
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Xiaohua Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xiaoqin Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Zhenlin Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Hongtao Lei
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Juewen Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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Zhao Y, Patel N, Sun P, Faulds K, Graham D, Liu J. Light-up split aptamers: binding thermodynamics and kinetics for sensing. Analyst 2023; 148:5612-5618. [PMID: 37819248 DOI: 10.1039/d3an01368e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Due to their programmable structures, many aptamers can be readily split into two halves while still retaining their target binding function. While split aptamers are prevalent in the biosensor field, fundamental studies of their binding are still lacking. In this work, we took advantage of the fluorescence enhancement property of a new aptamer named OTC5 that can bind to tetracycline antibiotics to compare various split aptamers with the full-length aptamer. The split aptamers were designed to have different stem lengths. Longer stem length aptamers showed similar dissociation constants (Kd) to the full-length aptamer, while a shorter stem construct showed an 85-fold increase in Kd. Temperature-dependent fluorescence measurements confirmed the lower thermostability of split aptamers. Isothermal titration calorimetry indicated that split aptamer binding can release more heat but have an even larger entropy loss. Finally, a colorimetric biosensor using gold nanoparticles was designed by pre-assembling two thiolated aptamer halves, which can then link gold nanoparticles to give a red-to-blue color change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Nikesh Patel
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Technology and Innovation Center, University of Strathclyde, 99 George Street, Glasgow G1 1RD, UK.
| | - Peihuan Sun
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Karen Faulds
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Technology and Innovation Center, University of Strathclyde, 99 George Street, Glasgow G1 1RD, UK.
| | - Duncan Graham
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Technology and Innovation Center, University of Strathclyde, 99 George Street, Glasgow G1 1RD, UK.
| | - Juewen Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
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8
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Liao Y, Zhang N, Chai D, Liu B, Li J, Fang Y, Zhang D, Liu R, Li Z. Rational design of a ratiometric fluorescent aptasensor for patulin in traditional Chinese medicine through the studies of the interaction mechanism between its DNA aptamer and the target molecule. Analyst 2023; 148:5233-5242. [PMID: 37725068 DOI: 10.1039/d3an00923h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Patulin (PAT) is a kind of mycotoxin which must be monitored for the sake of quality and safety in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) owing to its harm to human health. On this account, a rationally designed ratiometric fluorescent aptasensor was developed based on the studies of the interaction mechanism between PAT and its aptamer (PAT-APT). First, CD spectroscopy, molecular docking, and molecular dynamic simulation were applied to investigate the details on how PAT-APT binds with its target molecule. The results indicated that the structure of PAT-APT changed to a certain extent and was stabilized after binding with PAT. C-11, C-37 and C-38 were the key sites for the recognition and interaction between PAT-APT and its target. Second, based on these results, a ratiometric aptasensor was designed using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy. A complementary sequence (cDNA) to the aptamer with an appropriate length and hybridization position was obtained through rational design and optimization. Both PAT-APT and cDNA were labeled using a pair of fluorophores, which could generate FRET when the two single-stranded oligonucleotides hybridized. The accurate detection of PAT could be realized according to the change ratio of the fluorescence intensity at the corresponding wavelengths of the two fluorophores before and after the assay. The aptasensor achieved an ultralow limit of detection of 0.16 nM, perfect selectivity, and satisfactory practicability in complex TCM samples. To our knowledge, this is the first aptasensor for PAT designed through the interaction mechanism between its aptamer and the target molecule. Moreover, the assay for PAT is cost-effective, does not need complicated pretreatment and only takes less than an hour. In summary, this study makes a contribution to the safety control of TCM and provides a thinking mode from mechanism to rational design to conquer the problem of sensitive aptasensing of one component in a complex system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumeng Liao
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
| | - Nan Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
| | - Danni Chai
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
| | - Boshi Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Jingrong Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
| | - Yuting Fang
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
| | - Di Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Rui Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Zheng Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
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Zhao Y, Li AZ, Liu J. Capture-SELEX for Chloramphenicol Binding Aptamers for Labeled and Label-Free Fluorescence Sensing. ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2023; 1:102-109. [PMID: 37614296 PMCID: PMC10442912 DOI: 10.1021/envhealth.3c00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Chloramphenicol (CAP) is a potent antibiotic. Due to its side effects, CAP is currently banned in most countries, but it is still found in many food products and in the environment. Developing aptamer-based biosensors for the detection of CAP has interested many researchers. While both RNA and DNA aptamers were previously reported for CAP, they were all obtained by immobilization of the CAP base, which omitted the two chlorine atoms. In this work, DNA aptamers were selected using the library-immobilized method and free unmodified CAP. Three families of aptamers were obtained, and the best one named CAP1 showed a dissociation constant (Kd) of 9.8 μM using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). A fluorescent strand-displacement sensor showed a limit of detection (LOD) of 14 μM CAP. Thioflavin T (ThT) staining allowed label-free detection of CAP with a LOD of 1 μM in buffer, 1.8 μM in Lake Ontario water, and 3.6 μM in a wastewater sample. Comparisons were made with previously reported aptamers, and ITC failed to show binding of a previously reported 80-mer aptamer. Due to the small size and well-defined secondary structures of CAP1, this aptamer will find analytical applications for environmental and food monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Zhao
- Department of Chemistry,
Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Water Institute, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Albert Zehan Li
- Department of Chemistry,
Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Water Institute, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Juewen Liu
- Department of Chemistry,
Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Water Institute, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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Aslan Y, Atabay M, Chowdhury HK, Göktürk I, Saylan Y, Inci F. Aptamer-Based Point-of-Care Devices: Emerging Technologies and Integration of Computational Methods. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:bios13050569. [PMID: 37232930 DOI: 10.3390/bios13050569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Recent innovations in point-of-care (POC) diagnostic technologies have paved a critical road for the improved application of biomedicine through the deployment of accurate and affordable programs into resource-scarce settings. The utilization of antibodies as a bio-recognition element in POC devices is currently limited due to obstacles associated with cost and production, impeding its widespread adoption. One promising alternative, on the other hand, is aptamer integration, i.e., short sequences of single-stranded DNA and RNA structures. The advantageous properties of these molecules are as follows: small molecular size, amenability to chemical modification, low- or nonimmunogenic characteristics, and their reproducibility within a short generation time. The utilization of these aforementioned features is critical in developing sensitive and portable POC systems. Furthermore, the deficiencies related to past experimental efforts to improve biosensor schematics, including the design of biorecognition elements, can be tackled with the integration of computational tools. These complementary tools enable the prediction of the reliability and functionality of the molecular structure of aptamers. In this review, we have overviewed the usage of aptamers in the development of novel and portable POC devices, in addition to highlighting the insights that simulations and other computational methods can provide into the use of aptamer modeling for POC integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuf Aslan
- UNAM-National Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
- Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Maryam Atabay
- UNAM-National Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
- Department of Chemistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Hussain Kawsar Chowdhury
- UNAM-National Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
- Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Ilgım Göktürk
- UNAM-National Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
- Department of Chemistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Yeşeren Saylan
- Department of Chemistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
| | - Fatih Inci
- UNAM-National Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
- Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
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11
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Maral M, Erdem A. Carbon Nanofiber-Ionic Liquid Nanocomposite Modified Aptasensors Developed for Electrochemical Investigation of Interaction of Aptamer/Aptamer-Antisense Pair with Activated Protein C. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:bios13040458. [PMID: 37185533 PMCID: PMC10136435 DOI: 10.3390/bios13040458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Selective and sensitive detection of human activated protein C (APC) was performed herein by using carbon nanofiber (CNF) and ionic liquid (IL) composite modified pencil graphite electrode (PGE) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique. A carbon nanomaterial-based electrochemical aptasensor was designed and implemented for the first time in this study for the solution-phase interaction of DNA-Apt with its cognate protein APC as well as APC inhibitor aptamer-antidote pair. The applicability of this assay developed for the determination of APC in fetal bovine serum (FBS) and its selectivity against different proteins (protein C, thrombin, bovine serum albumin) was also examined. CNF-IL modified aptasensor specific to APC provided the detection limit as 0.23 μg/mL (equal to 3.83 nM) in buffer medium and 0.11 μg/mL (equal to 1.83 nM) in FBS. The duration of the proposed assay from the point of electrode modification to the detection of APC was completed within only 55 min.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meltem Maral
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, The Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, Ege University, Bornova, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
- Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, Bornova, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Arzum Erdem
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, The Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences, Ege University, Bornova, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
- Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, Bornova, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
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12
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Zhang H, Li AZ, Liu J. Surfactant-Assisted Label-Free Fluorescent Aptamer Biosensors and Binding Assays. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:bios13040434. [PMID: 37185509 PMCID: PMC10135756 DOI: 10.3390/bios13040434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Using DNA staining dyes such as SYBR Green I (SGI) and thioflavin T (ThT) to perform label-free detection of aptamer binding has been performed for a long time for both binding assays and biosensor development. Since these dyes are cationic, they can also adsorb to the wall of reaction vessels leading to unstable signals and even false interpretations of the results. In this work, the stability of the signal was first evaluated using ThT and the classic adenosine aptamer. In a polystyrene microplate, a drop in fluorescence was observed even when non-binding targets or water were added, whereas a more stable signal was achieved in a quartz cuvette. Equilibrating the system can also improve signal stability. In addition, a few polymers and surfactants were also screened, and 0.01% Triton X-100 was found to have the best protection effect against fluorescence signal decrease due to dye adsorption. Three aptamers for Hg2+, adenosine, and cortisol were tested for their sensitivity and signal stability in the absence and presence of Triton X-100. In each case, the sensitivity was similar, whereas the signal stability was better for the surfactant. This study indicates that careful control experiments need to be designed to ensure reliable results and that the reliability can be improved by using Triton X-100 and a long equilibration time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanxiao Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Albert Zehan Li
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Juewen Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
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13
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Aptamer-functionalized capacitive biosensors. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 224:115014. [PMID: 36628826 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.115014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The growing use of aptamers as target recognition elements in label-free biosensing necessitates corresponding transducers that can be used in relevant environments. While popular in many fields, capacitive sensors have seen relatively little, but growing use in conjunction with aptamers for sensing diverse targets. Few reports have shown physiologically relevant sensitivity in laboratory conditions and a cohesive picture on how target capture modifies the measured capacitance has been lacking. In this review, we assess the current state of the field in three areas: small molecule, protein, and cell sensing. We critically analyze the proposed hypotheses on how aptamer-target capture modifies the capacitance, as many mechanistic postulations appear to conflict between published works. As the field matures, we encourage future works to investigate individual aptamer-target interactions and to interrogate the physical mechanisms leading to measured changes in capacitance. To this point, we provide recommendations on best practices for developing aptasensors with a particular focus on considerations for biosensing in clinical settings.
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14
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Canoura J, Alkhamis O, Liu Y, Willis C, Xiao Y. High-throughput quantitative binding analysis of DNA aptamers using exonucleases. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:e19. [PMID: 36583362 PMCID: PMC9976898 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac1210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Aptamers are nucleic acid bioreceptors that have been used in various applications including medical diagnostics and as therapeutic agents. Identifying the most optimal aptamer for a particular application is very challenging. Here, we for the first time have developed a high-throughput method for accurately quantifying aptamer binding affinity, specificity, and cross-reactivity via the kinetics of aptamer digestion by exonucleases. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by isolating a set of new aptamers for fentanyl and its analogs, and then characterizing the binding properties of 655 aptamer-ligand pairs using our exonuclease digestion assay and validating the results with gold-standard methodologies. These data were used to select optimal aptamers for the development of new sensors that detect fentanyl and its analogs in different analytical contexts. Our approach dramatically accelerates the aptamer characterization process and streamlines sensor development, and if coupled with robotics, could enable high-throughput quantitative analysis of thousands of aptamer-ligand pairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Canoura
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, 2620 Yarbrough Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - Obtin Alkhamis
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, 2620 Yarbrough Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Yingzhu Liu
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, 2620 Yarbrough Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Connor Willis
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, 2620 Yarbrough Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Yi Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, 2620 Yarbrough Drive, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL 33199, USA
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15
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Perez Tobia J, Huang PJJ, Ding Y, Saran Narayan R, Narayan A, Liu J. Machine Learning Directed Aptamer Search from Conserved Primary Sequences and Secondary Structures. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:186-195. [PMID: 36594697 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Computer-aided prediction of aptamer sequences has been focused on primary sequence alignment and motif comparison. We observed that many aptamers have a conserved hairpin, yet the sequence of the hairpin can be highly variable. Taking such secondary structure information into consideration, a new algorithm combining conserved primary sequences and secondary structures is developed, which combines three scores based on sequence abundance, stability, and structure, respectively. This algorithm was used in the prediction of aptamers from the caffeine and theophylline selections. In the late rounds of the selections, when the libraries were converged, the predicted sequences matched well with the most abundant sequences. When the libraries were far from convergence and the sequences were deemed challenging for traditional analysis methods, this algorithm still predicted aptamer sequences that were experimentally verified by isothermal titration calorimetry. This algorithm paves a new way to look for patterns in aptamer selection libraries and mimics the sequence evolution process. It will help shorten the aptamer selection time and promote the biosensor and chemical biology applications of aptamers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Perez Tobia
- Department of Computer Science, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Po-Jung Jimmy Huang
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Water Institute, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Yuzhe Ding
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Water Institute, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Runjhun Saran Narayan
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Water Institute, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Apurva Narayan
- Department of Computer Science, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia V1V 1V7, Canada.,Department of Computer Science, Western University, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada.,Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Juewen Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, Water Institute, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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16
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Huang Y, Ryssy J, Nguyen MK, Loo J, Hällsten S, Kuzyk A. Measuring the Affinities of RNA and DNA Aptamers with DNA Origami-Based Chiral Plasmonic Probes. Anal Chem 2022; 94:17577-17586. [PMID: 36480745 PMCID: PMC9773176 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c04034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Reliable characterization of binding affinities is crucial for selected aptamers. However, the limited repertoire of universal approaches to obtain the dissociation constant (KD) values often hinders the further development of aptamer-based applications. Herein, we present a competitive hybridization-based strategy to characterize aptamers using DNA origami-based chiral plasmonic assemblies as optical reporters. We incorporated aptamers and partial complementary strands blocking different regions of the aptamers into the reporters and measured the kinetic behaviors of the target binding to gain insights on aptamers' functional domains. We introduced a reference analyte and developed a thermodynamic model to obtain a relative dissociation constant of an aptamer-target pair. With this approach, we characterized RNA and DNA aptamers binding to small molecules with low and high affinities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yike Huang
- Department
of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, School of Science, Aalto University, FI-00076Aalto, Finland,E-mail:
| | - Joonas Ryssy
- Department
of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, School of Science, Aalto University, FI-00076Aalto, Finland
| | - Minh-Kha Nguyen
- Department
of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, School of Science, Aalto University, FI-00076Aalto, Finland,Faculty
of Chemical Engineering, Ho Chi Minh City
University of Technology (HCMUT), 268 Ly Thuong Kiet St., Dist. 10, Ho Chi Minh
City700000, Vietnam,Vietnam
National University Ho Chi Minh City, Linh Trung Ward, Thu Duc Dist., Ho Chi Minh
City700000, Vietnam
| | - Jacky Loo
- Department
of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, School of Science, Aalto University, FI-00076Aalto, Finland
| | - Susanna Hällsten
- Department
of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, School of Science, Aalto University, FI-00076Aalto, Finland
| | - Anton Kuzyk
- Department
of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, School of Science, Aalto University, FI-00076Aalto, Finland,E-mail:
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17
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Lu C, Lopez A, Zheng J, Liu J. Using the Intrinsic Fluorescence of DNA to Characterize Aptamer Binding. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27227809. [PMID: 36431910 PMCID: PMC9692703 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27227809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The reliable, readily accessible and label-free measurement of aptamer binding remains a challenge in the field. Recent reports have shown large changes in the intrinsic fluorescence of DNA upon the formation of G-quadruplex and i-motif structures. In this work, we examined whether DNA intrinsic fluorescence can be used for studying aptamer binding. First, DNA hybridization resulted in a drop in the fluorescence, which was observed for A30/T30 and a 24-mer random DNA sequence. Next, a series of DNA aptamers were studied. Cortisol and Hg2+ induced fluorescence increases for their respective aptamers. For the cortisol aptamer, the length of the terminal stem needs to be short to produce a fluorescence change. However, caffeine and adenosine failed to produce a fluorescence change, regardless of the stem length. Overall, using the intrinsic fluorescence of DNA may be a reliable and accessible method to study a limited number of aptamers that can produce fluorescence changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Lu
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Anand Lopez
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Jinkai Zheng
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Juewen Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
- Correspondence:
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18
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Are aptamer-based biosensing approaches a good choice for female fertility monitoring? A comprehensive review. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 220:114881. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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19
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Zhong ZT, Ashraf G, Chen W, Song LB, Zhang SJ, Liu B, Zhao YD. A new strategy based on duplex-specific nuclease and DNA aptamer with modified hairpin structure for various analytes detection. Microchem J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2022.107510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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20
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Chen W, Zhang Y, Di K, Liu C, Xia Y, Ding S, Shen H, Li Z. A Washing-Free and Easy-to-Operate Fluorescent Biosensor for Highly Efficient Detection of Breast Cancer-Derived Exosomes. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:945858. [PMID: 35837545 PMCID: PMC9273779 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.945858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional detection methods for protein tumor markers in the early screening of breast cancer are restricted by complicated operation procedures and unstable reproducibility. As one of alternative emerging tumor markers, exosomes play an important role in diagnosing and treating cancers at the early stage due to traceability of their origins and great involvement in occurrence and development of cancers. Herein, a washing-free and efficient fluorescent biosensor has been proposed to realize simple and straightforward analysis of breast cancer cell-derived exosomes based on high affinity aptamers and G quadruplex-hemin (G4-hemin). The whole reaction process can be completed by several simple steps, which realizes washing-free and labor-saving. With simplified operation procedures and high repeatability, the linear detection range for this developed fluorescent biosensing strategy to breast cancer cell-derived exosomes is from 2.5 × 105 to 1.00 × 107 particles/ml, and the limit of detection is down to 0.54 × 105 particles/ml.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenqin Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Kaili Di
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Yanyan Xia
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Shijia Ding
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics (Ministry of Education), College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- *Correspondence: Shijia Ding, ; Han Shen, ; Zhiyang Li,
| | - Han Shen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Shijia Ding, ; Han Shen, ; Zhiyang Li,
| | - Zhiyang Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Shijia Ding, ; Han Shen, ; Zhiyang Li,
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21
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Moro G, Severin Sfragano P, Ghirardo J, Mazzocato Y, Angelini A, Palchetti I, Polo F. Bicyclic peptide-based assay for uPA cancer biomarker. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 213:114477. [PMID: 35751954 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The use of synthetic bioreceptors to develop biosensing platforms has been recently gaining momentum. This case study compares the performance of a biosensing platform for the human biomarker urokinase-type plasminogen activator (h-uPA) when using two bicyclic peptides (P1 and P2) with different affinities for the target protein. The bioreceptors P1 and P2 were immobilized on magnetic microbeads and tested within a sandwich-type affinity electrochemical assay. Apart from enabling h-uPA quantification at nanomolar levels (105.8 ng/mL for P1 and 32.5 ng/mL for P2), this case study showed the potential of synthetic bicyclic peptides applicability and how bioreceptor affinity can influence the performance of the final sensing platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Moro
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice, Italy
| | - Patrick Severin Sfragano
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy
| | - Jessica Ghirardo
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice, Italy
| | - Ylenia Mazzocato
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice, Italy
| | - Alessandro Angelini
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice, Italy; European Centre for Living Technology (ECLT), Ca' Bottacin, Dorsoduro 3911, Calle Crosera, Venice, 30124, Italy
| | - Ilaria Palchetti
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy.
| | - Federico Polo
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice, Italy; European Centre for Living Technology (ECLT), Ca' Bottacin, Dorsoduro 3911, Calle Crosera, Venice, 30124, Italy.
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22
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Wang L, Zhang W, Shao Y, Zhang D, Guo G, Wang X. Analytical methods for obtaining binding parameters of drug–protein interactions: A review. Anal Chim Acta 2022; 1219:340012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2022.340012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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23
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Ding Y, Liu X, Huang PJJ, Liu J. Homogeneous assays for aptamer-based ethanolamine sensing: no indication of target binding. Analyst 2022; 147:1348-1356. [PMID: 35244657 DOI: 10.1039/d2an00145d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Ethanolamine is an important analyte for environmental chemistry and biological sciences. A few DNA aptamers were previously reported for binding ethanolamine with a dissociation constant (Kd) as low as 9.6 nM. However, most of the previous binding assays and sensing work used either immobilized ethanolamine or immobilized aptamers. In this work, we studied three previously reported DNA sequences, two of which were supposed to bind ethanolamine while the other could not bind. Isothermal titration calorimetry revealed no binding for any of these sequences. In addition, due to their guanine-rich sequences, thioflavin T was used as a probe. Little fluorescence change was observed with up to 1 μM ethanolamine. Responses within the millimolar range of ethanolamine were attributed to the general fluorescence quenching effect of ethanolamine instead of aptamer binding. Finally, after studying the adsorption of ethanolamine to gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), we confirmed the feasibility of using AuNPs as a probe when the concentration of ethanolamine was below 0.1 mM. However, no indication of specific aptamer binding was observed by comparing the three DNA sequences for their color changing trends. This work articulates the importance of careful homogeneous binding assays using free target molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhe Ding
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Xun Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Po-Jung Jimmy Huang
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
| | - Juewen Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada.
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24
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Assays to Estimate the Binding Affinity of Aptamers. Talanta 2022; 238:122971. [PMID: 34857318 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Aptamers have become coming-of-age molecular recognition elements in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Generated by SELEX, the 'quality control' of aptamers, which involves the validation of their binding affinity against their respective targets is pivotal to ascertain their potency prior to use in any downstream assays or applications. Several aptamers have been isolated thus far, however, the usage of inappropriate validation assays renders some of these aptamers dubitable in terms of their binding capabilities. Driven by this need, we provide an up-to-date critical review of the various strategies used to determine the aptamer-target binding affinity with the aim of providing researchers a better comprehension of the different analytical approaches in respect to the molecular properties of aptamers and their intended targets. The techniques reported have been classified as label-based techniques such as fluorescence intensity, fluorescence anisotropy, filter-binding assays, gel shift assays, ELISA; and label-free techniques such as UV-Vis spectroscopy, circular dichroism, isothermal titration calorimetry, native electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, quartz crystal microbalance, surface plasmon resonance, NECEEM, backscattering interferometry, capillary electrophoresis, HPLC, and nanoparticle aggregation assays. Hybrid strategies combining the characteristics of both categories such as microscale thermophoresis have been also additionally emphasized. The fundamental principles, complexity, benefits, and challenges under each technique are elaborated in detail.
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25
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Dkhar DS, Kumari R, Mahapatra S, Kumar R, Chandra P. Ultrasensitive Aptasensors for the Detection of Viruses Based on Opto-Electrochemical Readout Systems. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:bios12020081. [PMID: 35200341 PMCID: PMC8869721 DOI: 10.3390/bios12020081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Viral infections are becoming the foremost driver of morbidity, mortality and economic loss all around the world. Treatment for diseases associated to some deadly viruses are challenging tasks, due to lack of infrastructure, finance and availability of rapid, accurate and easy-to-use detection methods or devices. The emergence of biosensors has proven to be a success in the field of diagnosis to overcome the challenges associated with traditional methods. Furthermore, the incorporation of aptamers as bio-recognition elements in the design of biosensors has paved a way towards rapid, cost-effective, and specific detection devices which are insensitive to changes in the environment. In the last decade, aptamers have emerged to be suitable and efficient biorecognition elements for the detection of different kinds of analytes, such as metal ions, small and macro molecules, and even cells. The signal generation in the detection process depends on different parameters; one such parameter is whether the labelled molecule is incorporated or not for monitoring the sensing process. Based on the labelling, biosensors are classified as label or label-free; both have their significant advantages and disadvantages. Here, we have primarily reviewed the advantages for using aptamers in the transduction system of sensing devices. Furthermore, the labelled and label-free opto-electrochemical aptasensors for the detection of various kinds of viruses have been discussed. Moreover, numerous globally developed aptasensors for the sensing of different types of viruses have been illustrated and explained in tabulated form.
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26
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27
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Cánovas R, Daems E, Campos R, Schellinck S, Madder A, Martins JC, Sobott F, De Wael K. Novel electrochemiluminescent assay for the aptamer-based detection of testosterone. Talanta 2021; 239:123121. [PMID: 34942485 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.123121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This work presents a proof-of-concept assay for the detection and quantification of small molecules based on aptamer recognition and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) readout. The testosterone-binding (TESS.1) aptamer was used to demonstrate the novel methodology. Upon binding of the target, the TESS.1 aptamer is released from its complementary capture probe - previously immobilized at the surface of the electrode - producing a decrease in the ECL signal after a washing step removing the released (labeled) TESS.1 aptamer. The analytical capability of the ECL assay towards testosterone detection was investigated displaying a linear range from 0.39 to 1.56 μM with a limit of detection of 0.29 μM. The selectivity of the proposed assay was assessed by performing two different negative control experiments; i) detection of testosterone with a randomized ssDNA sequence and ii) detection of two other steroids, i.e. deoxycholic acid and hydrocortisone with the TESS.1 aptamer. In parallel, complementary analytical techniques were employed to confirm the suggested mechanism: i) native nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (native nESI-MS) was used to determine the stoichiometry of the binding, and to characterize aptamer-target interactions; and, ii) isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) was carried out to elucidate the dissociation constant (Kd) of the complex of testosterone and the TESS.1 aptamer. The combination of these techniques provided a complete understanding of the aptamer performance, the binding mechanism, affinity and selectivity. Furthermore, this important characterization carried out in parallel validates the real functionality of the aptamer (TESS.1) ensuring its use towards selective testosterone binding in further biosensors. This research will pave the way for the development of new aptamer-based assays coupled with ECL sensing for the detection of relevant small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Cánovas
- A-Sense Lab, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium; NANOlab Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Elise Daems
- A-Sense Lab, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium; NANOlab Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium; BAMS Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Rui Campos
- A-Sense Lab, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium; NANOlab Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sofie Schellinck
- NMR and Structure Analysis Research Group, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Annemieke Madder
- Organic and Biomimetic Chemistry Research Group, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - José C Martins
- NMR and Structure Analysis Research Group, Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Frank Sobott
- BAMS Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium; Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK; School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Karolien De Wael
- A-Sense Lab, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium; NANOlab Center of Excellence, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium.
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Aptamer-Based Fluorescent Biosensor for the Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Allergens in Food Matrices. Foods 2021; 10:foods10112598. [PMID: 34828878 PMCID: PMC8623274 DOI: 10.3390/foods10112598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Food allergies have seriously affected the life quality of some people and even endangered their lives. At present, there is still no effective cure for food allergies. Avoiding the intake of allergenic food is still the most effective way to prevent allergic diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to develop rapid, accurate, sensitive, and reliable analysis methods to detect food allergens from different sources. Aptamers are oligonucleotide sequences that can bind to a variety of targets with high specificity and selectivity, and they are often combined with different transduction technologies, thereby constructing various types of aptamer sensors. In recent years, with the development of technology and the application of new materials, the sensitivity, portability, and cost of fluorescence sensing technology have been greatly improved. Therefore, aptamer-based fluorescence sensing technology has been widely developed and applied in the specific recognition of food allergens. In this paper, the classification of major allergens and their characteristics in animal and plant foods were comprehensively reviewed, and the preparation principles and practical applications of aptamer-based fluorescence biosensors are summarized. In addition, we hope that this article can provide some strategies for the rapid and sensitive detection of allergens in food matrices.
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4-Nitrophenol-Loaded Magnetic Mesoporous Silica Hybrid Materials for Spectrometric Aptasensing of Carcinoembryonic Antigen. MICROMACHINES 2021; 12:mi12101138. [PMID: 34683189 PMCID: PMC8537709 DOI: 10.3390/mi12101138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Aptamer- or antibody-based sensing protocols have been reported for detecting carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), but most exhibit complicated procedures or multiple reactions. In this work, we developed a one-step aptasensing protocol for the spectrometric determination of CEA based on 4-nitrophenol (4-NP)-loaded magnetic mesoporous silica nanohybrids (MMSNs) for bioresponsive controlled-release applications. To fabricate such a responsive–controlled sensing system, single-stranded complementary oligonucleotides relative to the CEA-specific aptamer were first modified on the aminated MMSN. Thereafter, 4-NP molecules blocked the pores with the assistance of the aptamers via a hybridization reaction. The introduced target CEA specifically reacted with the hybridized aptamer, thus detaching from the MMSN to open the gate. The loaded 4-NP molecules were released from the pores, as determined using ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopy after magnetic separation. Under optimum conditions, the absorbance increased with an increase in the target CEA in the sample and exhibited a good linear relationship within the dynamic range of 0.1–100 ng mL−1, with a detection limit of 46 pg mL−1. Moreover, this system also displayed high specificity, good reproducibility, and acceptable accuracy for analyzing human serum specimens, in comparison with a commercialized human CEA-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit.
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Shoara AA, Churcher ZR, Slavkovic S, Johnson PE. Weak Binding of Levamisole by the Cocaine-Binding Aptamer Does Not Interfere with an Aptamer-Based Detection Assay. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:24209-24217. [PMID: 34568699 PMCID: PMC8459413 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c03781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Levamisole is a common and harmful adulterant of street samples of cocaine and can cause electrochemical tests for cocaine to give false negative results. To see if levamisole would interfere with aptamer-based bioassays, we analyzed the binding of levamisole to the cocaine-binding DNA aptamer. At low aptamer concentrations (0.5 to 20 μM) using isothermal titration calorimetry methods and thermal stability measurements, no binding of levamisole to the cocaine-binding aptamer was observed. At higher levamisole concentrations (500 μM), weak binding to the cocaine-binding aptamer was detected using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy chemical shift perturbations. NMR-detected titrations show that levamisole binding is competitive with cocaine binding, indicating that both ligands share a common binding site. Finally, we show that the presence of levamisole does not interfere with the photochrome aptamer switch binding assay for cocaine. We conclude that assays using low concentrations of cocaine, and consequently low concentration of levamisole as an adulterant, should be unaffected by the weak binding of levamisole.
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31
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Sfragano PS, Moro G, Polo F, Palchetti I. The Role of Peptides in the Design of Electrochemical Biosensors for Clinical Diagnostics. BIOSENSORS-BASEL 2021; 11:bios11080246. [PMID: 34436048 PMCID: PMC8391273 DOI: 10.3390/bios11080246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Peptides represent a promising class of biorecognition elements that can be coupled to electrochemical transducers. The benefits lie mainly in their stability and selectivity toward a target analyte. Furthermore, they can be synthesized rather easily and modified with specific functional groups, thus making them suitable for the development of novel architectures for biosensing platforms, as well as alternative labelling tools. Peptides have also been proposed as antibiofouling agents. Indeed, biofouling caused by the accumulation of biomolecules on electrode surfaces is one of the major issues and challenges to be addressed in the practical application of electrochemical biosensors. In this review, we summarise trends from the last three years in the design and development of electrochemical biosensors using synthetic peptides. The different roles of peptides in the design of electrochemical biosensors are described. The main procedures of selection and synthesis are discussed. Selected applications in clinical diagnostics are also described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Severin Sfragano
- Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;
| | - Giulia Moro
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy; (G.M.); (F.P.)
| | - Federico Polo
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy; (G.M.); (F.P.)
| | - Ilaria Palchetti
- Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff”, University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;
- Correspondence:
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