Aptamer Solutions Ltd: Continued success and growth has enabled Aptamer Group to restructure its Scientific Operations team. Increasing interest in the development of aptamers against small molecule targets has led to the formation of a dedicated scientific team. This is in addition to the existing team focused on aptamer generation against larger targets (proteins, viruses, cells etc).
Aptamer Group has developed a unique displacement method to overcome issues with the traditional bound target approach to select aptamers against small molecules. In a reversal, the aptamer library is bead immobilised and, after removal of non-specific aptamers, the small molecule target is presented in solution. Small molecule target specific aptamers are eluted, amplified and quantified before preparing a refined library for the subsequent round of selection. Counter selection steps can be included to drive specificity. We have had success selecting aptamers to a range of small molecules, including; anti-cancer therapeutics, a food contaminating neurotoxin, ATP and phospholipids.
An application of interest for many of our customers is protein purification. We are using our AptaBind selection process to develop aptamers for use in Aptamer-Mediated Affinity Chromatography (AMAC). The AptaBind process isolates only those that both bind and release the target protein under the customer specified purification conditions. These AptaBind aptamers are then immobilised onto an appropriate resin for use in aptamer-mediated column purification.
Aptamer selection is achieved using an automated high-throughput robotic selection platform. This enables rapid delivery of aptamers with the required specificity and binding characteristics.
