U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Library & Multimedia
 Using Exonucleases for Aptamer Characterization, Engineering, and Sensing
NCJ Number
              307421

Author(s)
          Obtin Alkhamis;
                        Juan Canoura;
                        Phuong T. Ly;
                        Yi Xiao
Date Published

2023
Length
              13 pages
Annotation
              The authors describe their research in the use of nuclease enzymes to address the problems of adequate sensitivity, bottlenecks in aptamer binding characterization, and the cost and labor associated with aptamer engineering; they also discuss their serendipitous discovery that the digestion of DNA aptamers by exonucleases is inhibited when an aptamer is bound to a ligand.
Abstract
              Aptamers, selected from random libraries to bind specific molecules with high affinity via an in vitro method termed systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX), have been generated for diverse targets ranging from metal ions to small molecules to proteins and have demonstrated considerable promise as biorecognition elements in sensors for applications including medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, food safety, and forensic analysis. While aptamer sensors have made great strides in terms of sensitivity, specificity, turnaround time, and ease of use, several challenges have hindered their broader adoption. In this report, the authors describe their successes in using nuclease enzymes to address these problems. While working with nucleases to enhance the sensitivity of split aptamer sensors via enzyme-assisted target recycling, the authors serendipitously discovered that the digestion of DNA aptamers by exonucleases is inhibited when an aptamer is bound to a ligand. This finding served as the foundation for the development of three novel aptamer-related methodologies in their laboratory, and through their approach, they were able to detect analytes at nanomolar levels in biological samples, with the capacity for achieving multiplexed detection by using molecular beacons. Their efforts have enabled more comprehensive analysis of aptamers by greatly increasing the number of aptamer candidates and aptamer-ligand pairs that can be tested in a single experiment. The authors have also demonstrated the success of this method as a means for identifying new mutant aptamers with augmented binding properties and for quantifying aptamer-target affinity. The authors suggest that their enzymatic technologies can streamline the aptamer characterization and sensor development process, and suggest that, in the future, it should be possible to rapidly identify the most suitable aptamers for a particular application from hundreds to thousands of candidates. Publisher Abstract Provided
      
  
          Additional Details
Grant Number(s)
        2019-DU-BX-0024
                                2013-DN-BX-K032


  
  
        
  Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored


  
  
        
  Award
        Aptamer-Based, Exonuclease-Amplified, Paper Device for Point of Collection Screening of Cocaine and Methamphetamine in Oral Fluid
                                Electrochemical Aptamer-Based Sensor for Rapid Opioid Detection in Seized Substances
    
  
  
Date Published: January 1, 2023
    
          Downloads
        
                      HTML

Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              NIJ Journal
    
      
            
            
            
      Podcasts
    
      
            
            
            
      Publications Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Multimedia Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Software & Databases
    
      
            
            
            
      Datasets
    
      
            
            
            
      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                Research and development
        Forensic biology
        Evidence analysis and processing
        DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)
        Forensic sciences



  
Similar Publications
        
                      Atlanta Youth Count 2018 Community Report: The Prevalence of Sex and Labor Trafficking Among Homeless Youth in Metro Atlanta
                  White Paper – Electronic Death Registry In Medicolegal Death Investigation
                  Importance of culture in measuring tribal crime seriousness: scoping review of crime seriousness indices
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov