Searching for avidity by chemical ligation of combinatorially self-assembled DNA-encoded ligand libraries.

DNA encoded ligands are self-assembled into bivalent complexes and chemically ligated to link their identities. To demonstrate their potential as a combinatorial screening platform for avidity interactions, the optimal bivalent aptamer design (examplar ligands) for human alpha-thrombin is determined in a single round of selection and the DNA scaffold replaced with minimal impact on the final design.