Multivalent Circular Aptamers: Versatile Nanostructures for Biomedical Applications

摘要

Nucleic acid aptamers are moving towards genuine competitiveness in therapeutic, diagnostic and biomaterials applications. We have introduced a major new aptamer class - multivalent circular aptamers or 'captamers' - that combines aptameric recognition with multitasking nucleic acid functions through the use of modular engineering principles derived from DNA nanotechnology. DNA captamers have been demonstrated in 2-, 3- and 4-headed versions, focussing upon the pleiotropic activity that can be obtained by combining different functions together. Several multitasking applications are described here. Development of captamer therapeutic candidates is moving towards a practical implementation of autonomous biomolecular computing that offers the potential to create a powerful class of smart nucleic acid drugs.