FSBC: fast string-based clustering for HT-SELEX data.

BACKGROUND: The combination of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) and deep sequencing is termed high-throughput (HT)-SELEX, which enables searching aptamer candidates from a massive amount of oligonucleotide sequences. A clustering method is an important procedure to identify sequence groups including aptamer candidates for evaluation with experimental analysis. In general, aptamer includes a specific target binding region, which is necessary for binding to the target molecules. The length of the target binding region varies depending on the target molecules and/or binding styles. Currently available clustering methods for HT-SELEX only estimate clusters based on the similarity of full-length sequences or limited length of motifs as target binding regions. Hence, a clustering method considering the target binding region with different lengths is required. Moreover, to handle such huge data and to save sequencing cost, a clustering method with fast calculation from a single round of HT-SELEX data, not multiple rounds, is also preferred. RESULTS: We developed fast string-based clustering (FSBC) for HT-SELEX data. FSBC was designed to estimate clusters by searching various lengths of over-represented strings as target binding regions. FSBC was also designed for fast calculation with search space reduction from a single round, typically the final round, of HT-SELEX data considering imbalanced nucleobases of the aptamer selection process. The calculation time and clustering accuracy of FSBC were compared with those of four conventional clustering methods, FASTAptamer, AptaCluster, APTANI, and AptaTRACE, using HT-SELEX data (>15 million oligonucleotide sequences). FSBC, AptaCluster, and AptaTRACE could complete the clustering for all sequence data, and FSBC and AptaTRACE performed higher clustering accuracy. FSBC showed the highest clustering accuracy and had the second fastest calculation speed among all methods compared. CONCLUSION: FSBC is applicable to a large HT-SELEX dataset, which can facilitate the accurate identification of groups including aptamer candidates. AVAILABILITY OF DATA AND MATERIALS: FSBC is available at http://www.aoki.ecei.tohoku.ac.jp/fsbc/.

Modified DNA Aptamers for C-Reactive Protein and Lactate Dehydrogenase-5 with Sub-Nanomolar Affinities.

Human C-reactive protein (CRP) and lactate dehydrogenase are important markers in clinical laboratory testing-the former is used to detect in vivo inflammation, and the latter is used to detect cell necrosis and tissue destruction. We developed aptamers that bind to human CRP and human lactate dehydrogenase-5 (LDH-5) with high affinities (dissociation constants of 6.2 pM and 235 pM, respectively), applying the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) method, and by using a modified DNA library containing the following base-appended base modifications: analog adenine derivative at the fifth position of uracil (Uad), analog guanine derivative at the fifth position of uracil (Ugu), and analog adenine derivative at the seventh position of adenine (Aad). A potential application of these aptamers as sensor elements includes high-sensitivity target detection in point-of-care testing.

A high affinity modified DNA aptamer containing base-appended bases for human ß-defensin.

We used base-appended base modification to develop a new adenine analog, which incorporates an adenine derivative at position 7 of adenine. Using the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment method with a modified DNA library including this analog, we obtained Aad1, an aptamer that binds strongly to human ß-defensin 2, a biomarker of physical stress found in saliva. The dissociation constant of Aad1 with respect to human ß-defensin 2 was found to be low (6.8 nM), and was found to bind specifically to human ß-defensin 2 in saliva spiked with the protein, as confirmed using pull-down with magnetic beads. To our knowledge, there are no prior reports of nucleic-acid aptamers that bind specifically to human ß-defensin 2. However, our results indicated that such adenine analog-containing DNA libraries are extremely effective in the acquisition of high-affinity aptamers.

Fluorescence Polarization-Based Rapid Detection System for Salivary Biomarkers Using Modified DNA Aptamers Containing Base-Appended Bases.

The field of care testing toward the analysis of blood and saliva lacks nowadays simple test techniques for biomarkers. In this study, we have developed a novel nucleobase analog, Ugu, which is a uracil derivative bearing a guanine base at the 5-position. Moreover, we attempted the development of aptamers that can bind to secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), which has been examined as a stress marker in human saliva. It was observed that the acquired aptamer binds strongly and selectively to the SIgA dimer (Kd = 13.6 nM) without binding to the IgG and IgA monomers of human serum. Reduction of the aptamer length (41 mer) successfully improved 4-fold the binding affinity (Kd = 3.7 nM), compared to the original, longer aptamer (78 mer). Furthermore, the development of a simple detection system for human saliva samples by fluorescence polarization was investigated, using the reported human salivary α-amylase (sAA) and the SIgA-binding aptamer. Comparison of the present method with conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques highlighted a significant Pearson's correlation of 0.94 and 0.83 when targeting sAA and SIgA, respectively. It is thus strongly suggested that a new simple test of stress markers in human saliva can be quantified quickly without bound/free (B/F) separation.

Generation of brilliant green fluorescent petunia plants by using a new and potent fluorescent protein transgene.

The application of fluorescent proteins in ornamental plants has lagged behind despite the recent development of powerful genetic tools. Although we previously generated transgenic torenia plants expressing green fluorescent protein from marine plankton (CpYGFP), in which bright fluorescence was easily visible at the whole plant level, the maximum excitation of this protein within the visible light spectrum required the use of a coloured emission filter to eliminate exciting light. Here, to overcome this limitation, we generated transgenic petunia plants expressing eYGFPuv, a CpYGFP derivative exhibiting bright fluorescence under invisible ultraviolet (UV) light excitation, with a novel combination of transcriptional terminator plus translational enhancer. As expected, all transgenic plants exhibited brilliant green fluorescence easily visible to the naked eye without an emission filter. In addition, fluorescence expressed in transgenic petunia flowers was stable during long-term vegetative propagation. Finally, we visually and quantitatively confirmed that transgenic petunia flowers resist to long-term exposure of UV without any damages such as fluorescence decay and withering. Thus, our whole-plant fluorescence imaging tool, that does not require high sensitive imaging equipment or special imaging conditions for observation, might be useful not only for basic plant research but also for ornamental purposes as a novel flower property.

An Aptamer-Based Biosensor for Direct, Label-Free Detection of Melamine in Raw Milk.

Melamine, a nitrogen-rich compound, has been used as a food and milk additive to falsely increase the protein content. However, melamine is toxic, and high melamine levels in food or in milk can cause kidney and urinary problems, or even death. Hence, the detection of melamine in food and milk is desirable, for which numerous detection methods have been developed. Several methods have successfully detected melamine in raw milk; however, they require a sample preparation before the analyses. This study aimed to develop an aptamer-DNAzyme conjugated biosensor for label-free detection of melamine, in raw milk, without any sample preparation. An aptamer-DNAzyme conjugated biosensor was developed via screening using microarray analysis to identify the candidate aptamers followed by an optimization, to reduce the background noise and improve the aptamer properties, thereby, enhancing the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of the screened biosensor. The developed biosensor was evaluated via colorimetric detection and tested with raw milk without any sample preparation, using N-methylmesoporphyrin IX for fluorescence detection. The biosensor displayed significantly higher signal intensity at 2 mM melamine (S/N ratio, 20.2), which was sufficient to detect melamine at high concentrations, in raw milk.

Molecular evolution of versatile derivatives from a GFP-like protein in the marine copepod Chiridius poppei.

Fluorescent proteins are now indispensable tools in molecular research. They have also been adapted for a wide variety of uses in cases involving creative applications, including textiles, aquarium fish, and ornamental plants. Our colleagues have previously cloned a yellow GFP-like protein derived from the marine copepod Chiridius poppei (YGFP), and moreover, succeeded in generating transgenic flowers with clearly visible fluorescence, without the need for high-sensitivity imaging equipment. However, due to the low Stokes shift of YGFP (10 nm), it is difficult to separate emitted light of a labeled object from the light used for excitation; hence, limitations for various applications remain. In this study, which was aimed at developing YGFP mutants with increased Stokes shifts, we conducted stepwise molecular evolution experiments on YGFP by screening random mutations at three key amino acids, based on their fluorescent characteristics and structural stabilities, followed by optimization of their fluorescence output by DNA shuffling of the entire coding sequence. We successfully identified an eYGFPuv that had an excitation maximum in UV wavelengths and a 24-fold increase in fluorescence intensity compared to the previously reported YGFP mutant (H52D). In addition, eYGFPuv exhibited almost 9-fold higher fluorescence intensity compared to the commercially available GFPuv when expressed in human colon carcinoma HCT116 cells and without any differences in cytotoxicity. Thus, this novel mutant with the desirable characteristics of bright fluorescence, long Stokes shift, and low cytotoxity, may be particularly well suited to a variety of molecular and biological applications.

Selection, Characterization and Application of Artificial DNA Aptamer Containing Appended Bases with Sub-nanomolar Affinity for a Salivary Biomarker.

We have attained a chemically modified DNA aptamer against salivary α-amylase (sAA), which attracts researchers' attention as a useful biomarker for assessing human psychobiological and social behavioural processes, although high affinity aptamers have not been isolated from a random natural DNA library to date. For the selection, we used the base-appended base (BAB) modification, that is, a modified-base DNA library containing (E)-5-(2-(N-(2-(N6-adeninyl)ethyl))carbamylvinyl)-uracil in place of thymine. After eight rounds of selection, a 75 mer aptamer, AMYm1, which binds to sAA with extremely high affinity (Kd < 1 nM), was isolated. Furthermore, we have successfully determined the 36-mer minimum fragment, AMYm1-3, which retains target binding activity comparable to the full-length AMYm1, by surface plasmon resonance assays. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectral analysis indicated that the minimum fragment forms a specific stable conformation, whereas the predicted secondary structures were suggested to be disordered forms. Thus, DNA libraries with BAB-modifications can achieve more diverse conformations for fitness to various targets compared with natural DNA libraries, which is an important advantage for aptamer development. Furthermore, using AMYm1, a capillary gel electrophoresis assay and lateral flow assay with human saliva were conducted, and its feasibility was demonstrated.

Selection of DNA aptamers that bind to influenza A viruses with high affinity and broad subtype specificity.

Many cases of influenza are reported worldwide every year. The influenza virus often acquires new antigenicity, which is known as antigenic shift; this results in the emergence of new virus strains, for which preexisting immunity is not found in the population resulting in influenza pandemics. In the event a new strain emerges, diagnostic tools must be developed rapidly to detect the novel influenza strain. The generation of high affinity antibodies is costly and takes time; therefore, an alternative detection system, aptamer detection, provides a viable alternative to antibodies as a diagnostic tool. In this study, we developed DNA aptamers that bind to HA1 proteins of multiple influenza A virus subtypes by the SELEX procedure. To evaluate the binding properties of these aptamers using colorimetric methods, we developed a novel aptamer-based sandwich detection method employing our newly identified aptamers. This novel sandwich enzyme-linked aptamer assay successfully detected the H5N1, H1N1, and H3N2 subtypes of influenza A virus with almost equal sensitivities. These findings suggest that our aptamers are attractive candidates for use as simple and sensitive diagnostic tools that need sandwich system for detecting the influenza A virus with broad subtype specificities.

High-throughput quantitative screening of peroxidase-mimicking DNAzymes on a microarray by using electrochemical detection.

Some guanine-rich DNA sequences, which are called DNAzymes, can adopt G-quadruplex structures and exhibit peroxidase activity by binding with hemin. Although known DNAzymes show less activity than horseradish peroxidase, they have the potential to be widely used for the detection of target molecules in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays if sequences that exhibit higher activity can be identified. However, techniques for achieving this have not yet been described. Therefore, we compared the DNAzyme activities of more than 1000 novelistically designed sequences with that of the original DNAzyme by using an electrochemical detection system on a 12K DNA microarray platform. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of an array-based assessment of peroxidase activity of G-quadruplex-hemin complexes. By using this novel assay system, more than 200 different mutants were found that had significantly higher activities than the original DNAzyme sequence. This microarray-based DNAzyme evaluation system is useful for identifying highly active new DNAzymes that might have potential as tools for developing DNA-based biosensors with aptamers.

Hishot display--a new combinatorial display for obtaining target-recognizing peptides.

Display technologies are procedures used for isolating target-recognizing peptides without using immunized animals. In this study, we describe a new display method, named Hishot display, that uses Escherichia coli and an expression plasmid to isolate target-recognizing peptides. This display method is based on the formation, in bacteria, of complexes between a polyhistidine (His)-tagged peptide including random sequences and the peptide-encoding mRNA including an RNA aptamer against the His-tag. When this system was tested using a sequence encoding His-tagged green fluorescent protein that included an RNA aptamer against the His-tag, the collection of mRNA encoding the protein was dependent on the RNA aptamer. Using this display method and a synthetic library of surrogate single-chain variable fragments consisting of VpreB and Ig heavy-chain variable domains, it was possible to isolate clones that could specifically recognize a particular target (intelectin-1 or tumor necrosis factor-α). These clones were obtained as soluble proteins produced by E. coli, and the purified peptide clones recognizing intelectin-1 could be used as detectors for sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The Hishot display will be a useful method to add to the repertoire of display technologies.

Quantitative and sensitive protein detection strategies based on aptamers.

Aptamers are functional oligonucleotides of single-stranded RNA or DNA that can selectively recognize their targets with high affinity. Hence, they have been widely developed for analytical, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications. In this review, we have summarized recent advances in the development of aptamer-based detection systems. Aptamers can be amplified exponentially by PCR, which is one of the advantages of aptamers over antibodies. Recently, we have developed immuno-aptamers that bind to mouse or rabbit IgG and constructed a novel sensitive detection system based on a conventional ELISA, called the immuno-aptamer PCR assay. In this article, the aptamer-based ready-to-use sensors and another PCR-based aptamer assays are also described; moreover, we have discussed highly sensitive aptamer-based detection systems.

Single-walled carbon nanohorns as drug carriers: adsorption of prednisolone and anti-inflammatory effects on arthritis.

Prednisolone (PSL), an anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid drug, was adsorbed on oxidized single-walled carbon nanohorns (oxSWNHs) in ethanol-water solvent. The quantity of adsorbed PSL on the oxSWNHs was 0.35-0.54 g/g depending on the sizes and numbers of holes on the oxSWNHs. PSL was adsorbed on both the outside and the inside of the oxSWNHs, and released quickly in a couple of hours and slowly within about one day from the respective places. The released quantity in culture medium strongly depended on the concentration of the PSL-oxSWNH complexes, suggesting that PSL adsorbing on oxSWNHs and PSL in the culture medium were in concentration equilibrium. The local injection of PSL-oxSWNHs into the tarsal joint of rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) slightly retarded the progression of the arthritis compared with controls. By histological analysis of the ankle joint, the anti-inflammatory effect of PSL-oxSWNHs was also observed.

ValFold: Program for the aptamer truncation process.

UNLABELLED: DNA or RNA aptamers have gained attention as the next generation antibody-like molecules for medical or diagnostic use. Conventional secondary structure prediction tools for nucleic acids play an important role to truncate or minimize sequence, or introduce limited chemical modifications without compromising or changing its binding affinity to targets in the design of improved aptamers selected by Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX). We describe a novel software package, ValFold, capable of predicting secondary structures with improved accuracy based on unique aptamer characteristics. ValFold predicts not only the canonical Watson-Crick pairs but also G-G pairs derived from G-quadruplex (known structure for many aptamers) using the stem candidate selection algorithm. AVAILABILITY: The database is available for free at http://code.google.com/p/valfold/

Histological assessments for toxicity and functionalization-dependent biodistribution of carbon nanohorns.

Single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWNHs) intravenously administered to mice did not show severe toxicity during a 26-week test period, which was confirmed by normal gross appearance, normal weight gain and the lack of abnormality in the tissues on histological observations of the mice. SWNH biodistribution was influenced by chemical functionalization. Accumulation of SWNH in the lungs reduced as SWNH hydrophilicity increased; however, the most hydrophilic SWNHs modified with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were most likely to be trapped in the lungs, suggesting that the BSA moiety enhanced macrophage phagocytosis in the lungs. Clearance of some of the hydrophobic SWNHs from the lungs was observed, the mechanism of which is briefly discussed.

Development of a sphingosylphosphorylcholine detection system using RNA aptamers.

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) is a lysosphingolipid that exerts multiple functions, including acting as a spasmogen, as a mitogenic factor for various types of cells, and sometimes as an inflammatory mediator. Currently, liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) is used for the quantitation of SPC. However, because of the complicated procedures required it may not be cost effective, hampering its regular usage in a routine practical SPC monitoring. In this report, we have generated RNA aptamers that bind to SPC with high affinity using an in vitro selection procedure and developed an enzyme-linked aptamer assay system using the minimized SPC aptamer that can successfully distinguish SPC from the structurally related sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P). This is the first case of the Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX) process being performed with a lysosphingolipid. The SPC aptamers would be valuable tools for the development of aptamer-based medical diagnosis and for elucidating the biological role of SPC.

Antibody-specific aptamer-based PCR analysis for sensitive protein detection.

Nucleic acid amplification techniques were applied to the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with an antibody-specific aptamer, R18. This novel detection system is a modification of the original immuno-polymerase chain reaction (immuno-PCR), but oligonucleotide-labeled antibodies are not required in the assay. This method is performed with the usual ELISA protocol, using an RNA aptamer for rabbit IgG instead of the conventional secondary antibody. After the assay plate was washed, quantitative reverse transcription (RT)-PCR was performed. Ribonuclease (RNase) inhibitors are not needed for this method. The detection limit of the quantitative RT-PCR is over 100 times more sensitive than the original ELISA method, even with the same sandwich-antibody combination. Only 1 mg of aptamer is sufficient for more than 10 million assays. This aptamer-based quantitative PCR successfully detected 16 attomoles (16 x 10(-18)) of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This is a cost-effective and easy method to increase the sensitivity of the rabbit antibody-based ELISA systems. The new method is referred to as immuno-aptamer PCR (iaPCR), to distinguish it from the original immuno-PCR.

Effective isolation of RNA aptamer through suppression of PCR bias.

An aptamer is a short RNA or DNA molecule that binds to a specific target. The main strategy for obtaining aptamers is systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). Although various SELEX techniques have been devised and refined on the basis of the selection technique used, in most cases, the isolation of an aptamer still requires several trials or the use of special equipment. In the present study, we attempted SELEX in which PCR bias was suppressed by using RNA transcription to amplify nucleic acids. This procedure, which can be accomplished easily and inexpensively without special equipment, effectively simplifies the SELEX process. Using this SELEX, we obtained large numbers of RNA aptamers against the target that could not be isolated by standard SELEX. The results of our study suggest that exclusion of PCR bias may be far more important than previously assumed for isolating RNA aptamers via SELEX.

RNA aptamer binding to polyhistidine-tag.

Polyhistidine-tag (His-tag) is a powerful tool for purification of recombinant protein. His-tagged protein can be affinity-purified by using resins immobilizing Ni2+ or anti-His-tag antibodies. However, Ni2+-affinity-purification is prevented by the presence of divalent cations. The purification with antibodies has contamination of antibody peptides, which interferes with following analysis. In the present study, we isolated RNA aptamers binding to His-tag. The best clone, named shot47, bound to the target with low picomolar dissociation constant. In the presence of divalent cations, shot47 was substitutable for antibodies against His-tag on ELISA, immunoprecipitation, and Western blotting. Shot47 can be synthesized easily by in vitro transcription. Thus, shot47 would be applicable as a useful and cost-effective tool for biochemical analyses.

RNA aptamers specifically interact with the Fc region of mouse immunoglobulin G.

We have designed the in vitro selection method to obtain some aptamers such as a general antibody-probing agent, which might bind to the constant regions of mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclasses. As a consequence, one of the selected aptamers found to recognize mouse IgG1, 2a, and 3 subclasses. According to the binding assay, it is suggested that this aptamer recognizes the constant regions of mouse IgG subclass. In addition, this aptamer could recognize the only native form of mouse IgGs but the denatured IgGs. These features show the advantage of the aptamer as an antibody-probing agent rather than the usual secondary antibodies.