Sensitivity and specificity of photoaptamer probes.
The potential of photoaptamers as proteomic probes was investigated. Photoaptamers are defined as aptamers that bear photocross-linking functionality, in this report, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine. A key question regarding the use of photoaptamer probes is the specificity of the cross-linking reaction. The specificity of three photoaptamers was explored by comparing their reactions with target proteins and non-target proteins. The range of target/non-target specificity varies from 100- to >10(6)-fold with most values >10(4)-fold. The contributions of the initial binding step and the photocross-linking step were evaluated for each reaction. Photocross-linking never degraded specificity and significantly increased aptamer specificity in some cases. The application of photoaptamer technology to proteomics was investigated in microarray format. Immobilized anti-human immunodeficiency virus-gp120 aptamer was able to detect subnanomolar concentrations of target protein in 5% human serum. The levels of sensitivity and specificity displayed by photoaptamers, combined with other advantageous properties of aptamers, should facilitate development of protein chip technology.
Smith
Drew
D
SomaLogic, Inc, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA. drew.smith@somalogic.com
Collins
Brian D
BD
Heil
James
J
Koch
Tad H
TH
D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000737:chemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D040081:Protein Array Analysis; D011485:Protein Binding; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; D010455:Peptides; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine