AbstractChemical modification of aptamers is an important step to improve their performance and stability in biological media. This can be performed either during their identification (mod‐SELEX) or after the in vitro selection process (post‐SELEX). In order to reduce the complexity and workload of the post‐SELEX modification of aptamers, we have evaluated the possibility of improving a previously reported, chemically modified aptamer by combining enzymatic synthesis and nucleotides bearing bioisosteres of the parent cubane side‐chains or substituted cubane moieties. This method lowers the synthetic burden often associated with post‐SELEX approaches and allowed to identify one additional sequence that maintains binding to the PvLDH target protein, albeit with reduced specificity. In addition, while bioisosteres often improve the potency of small molecule drugs, this does not extend to chemically modified aptamers. Overall, this versatile method can be applied for the post‐SELEX modification of other aptamers and functional nucleic acids.
摘要对aptamers进行化学修饰是提高其在生物介质中的性能和稳定性的重要步骤。化学修饰既可以在识别过程中进行(mod-SELEX),也可以在体外筛选过程后进行(post-SELEX)。为了降低灵敏配体后 SELEX 修饰的复杂性和工作量,我们评估了通过结合酶法合成和带有母方烷侧链或取代方烷分子的生物异构体的核苷酸来改进之前报道的化学修饰灵敏配体的可能性。这种方法减轻了通常与后 SELEX 方法相关的合成负担,并能鉴定出一种额外的序列,它能保持与 PvLDH 目标蛋白的结合,尽管特异性有所降低。此外,虽然生物异构体通常能提高小分子药物的效力,但化学修饰的适配体却不能做到这一点。总之,这种多用途方法可用于其他适配体和功能核酸的 SELEX 后修饰。