Hydroxyapatite, (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, HAP) is the main component of bones and tooth enamel and is formed through the mineralization of calcium and phosphate. Currently, templates that control this process for future use in vivo are being studied. Single-stranded DNA aptamers that influence mineralization kinetics were identified though the novel process of precipitation SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment). Sequence analysis of selected strands pointed to an enhanced G nucleotide content, which is indicative of G-quadruplex formation. After screening of ten selected strands, a 40-bp aptamer was synthesized, as well as three point mutated strands to test the various effects of the G-content. Aptamer to HAP binding experiments showed that the strands with higher percent G had greater affinity to HAP. However, the process by which the G-quadruplex aids in the mineralization is still unknown and is currently being investigated.

Precipitation SELEX: Selection and study of DNA aptamers that template calcium phosphate mineralization

255th National Meeting (2018)

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