Nucleic acid aptamers are single-stranded oligomers selected from a large library of random sequences according to their ability to bind tightly and specifically to a target.  We have developed a novel multi-target microscale fluidic device that requires only microliter amounts of affinity chromatography resin and thus can be used for a high-throughput exploration of the design space for aptamer selections.  The optimum selection conditions (e.g., target loading on the resin, process flow rates) were determined by monitoring the behavior of a GFP-binding RNA aptamer and comparing the experimental results to theoretical models.  We then used the devices at those conditions to select new RNA aptamers for multiple protein targets.  Gel-shift assays confirmed that the binding affinities of the selected bulk libraries were significantly better than that corresponding to the starting library.  Individual aptamers for each target were identified via high-throughput sequencing analysis of the selected libraries.

Advanced characterization of a novel multitarget microscale fluidic device for the selection of RNA aptamers

244th National Meeting (2012)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.