Chapter 1
Introduction of Aptamer, SELEX,
and Different SELEX Variants
Liling Hao and Huajie Gu
Abstract In recent years, molecular diagnostic and therapeutic techniques in the
field of medical science have been developed rapidly. It is necessary and significant to generate molecular recognition elements with high sensitivity and specificity
thereof. Aptamer is an important class of molecular recognition elements, which can
be used for disease diagnosis and treatment. A variety of aptamers against disease
biomarkers, tumor cells, biotoxins, pathogenic bacteria have been obtained via an
in vitro selection process named systematic evolution of ligands by exponential
enrichment (SELEX). In order to screen aptamers efficiently, SELEX, including the
process of binding, separation, amplification, single-strand oligonucleotides preparation, and purification, has evolved into many variations. SELEX and its variants
are very useful for the selection of effective aptamers, which provide ideal diagnostic
and therapeutic molecules for medical research at the molecular level.
Keywords Aptamers · SELEX · CE-SELEX · Cell-SELEX · FluMag-SELEX ·
GO-SELEX
1.1 Introduction
Aptamers are single-stranded nucleic acid molecules (ssDNA or RNA) that recognize specific targets based on unique three-dimensional conformations. Aptamer has
been used for a wide range of applications, including biosensor technologies, in vitro
diagnostics, biomarker discovery, and therapeutics. Its properties of easy conjugation and labeling make aptamer easier to combine with other new technologies,
L. Hao (B)
School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center for
Food Rapid Detection, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093,
China
e-mail: holiday_hao1988@126.com
H. Gu
School of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou
215009, China
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Dong (ed.), Aptamers for Medical Applications,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4838-7_1
1
Introduction of Aptamer, SELEX,
and Different SELEX Variants
Liling Hao and Huajie Gu
Abstract In recent years, molecular diagnostic and therapeutic techniques in the
field of medical science have been developed rapidly. It is necessary and significant to generate molecular recognition elements with high sensitivity and specificity
thereof. Aptamer is an important class of molecular recognition elements, which can
be used for disease diagnosis and treatment. A variety of aptamers against disease
biomarkers, tumor cells, biotoxins, pathogenic bacteria have been obtained via an
in vitro selection process named systematic evolution of ligands by exponential
enrichment (SELEX). In order to screen aptamers efficiently, SELEX, including the
process of binding, separation, amplification, single-strand oligonucleotides preparation, and purification, has evolved into many variations. SELEX and its variants
are very useful for the selection of effective aptamers, which provide ideal diagnostic
and therapeutic molecules for medical research at the molecular level.
Keywords Aptamers · SELEX · CE-SELEX · Cell-SELEX · FluMag-SELEX ·
GO-SELEX
1.1 Introduction
Aptamers are single-stranded nucleic acid molecules (ssDNA or RNA) that recognize specific targets based on unique three-dimensional conformations. Aptamer has
been used for a wide range of applications, including biosensor technologies, in vitro
diagnostics, biomarker discovery, and therapeutics. Its properties of easy conjugation and labeling make aptamer easier to combine with other new technologies,
L. Hao (B)
School of Medical Instrument and Food Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center for
Food Rapid Detection, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093,
China
e-mail: holiday_hao1988@126.com
H. Gu
School of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou
215009, China
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Dong (ed.), Aptamers for Medical Applications,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4838-7_1
1