Azobenzene-modified DNA aptamers evolved by capillary electrophoresis (CE)-SELEX method. (1st January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Morihiro, Kunihiko; Hasegawa, Osamu; Kasahara, Yuuya; Mori, Shohei; Kasai, Tatsuro; Kuwahara, Masayasu; Obika, Satoshi
• Is Part Of: Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters. Volume 31(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01-01
• Subjects: Azobenzene -- CE-SELEX -- DNA aptamer -- DNA polymerase -- 5′-Triphosphate; Bioorganic chemistry -- Periodicals; Pharmaceutical chemistry -- Periodicals; 572
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2020.127607
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-894X

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Abstract: Chemically modified aptamers have recently emerged as important materials for nucleic acid based therapeutics and diagnostic tools. Here, we report in vitro evolution of azobenzene-modified DNA aptamers by capillary electrophoresis (CE)-SELEX method. Azobenzene has been considered to be a fascinating functional group due to its trans – cis photo-isomerization property. We harnessed C5-azobenzene-modified 2′-deoxyuridine (dU Az ) as a azobenzene-tethered unit and subjected it to CE-SELEX with human thrombin. The obtained dU Az -modified aptamer showed strong binding affinity toward human thrombin and could be reversibly photo-isomerized by different wavelengths of light. This work demonstrates that CE-SELEX is a powerful method to obtain chemically modified aptamers and dU Az is an excellent photo-responsive nucleoside for nucleic acid photo-switches.