title: Generation of Aptamers with an Expanded Chemical Repertoire.
abstract: The enzymatic co-polymerization of modified nucleoside triphosphates (dN*TPs and N*TPs) is a versatile method for the expansion and exploration of expanded chemical space in SELEX and related combinatorial methods of in vitro selection. This strategy can be exploited to generate aptamers with improved or hitherto unknown properties. In this review, we discuss the nature of the functionalities appended to nucleoside triphosphates and their impact on selection experiments. The properties of the resulting modified aptamers will be described, particularly those integrated in the fields of biomolecular diagnostics, therapeutics, and in the expansion of genetic systems (XNAs).
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. stella.diafa@dcb.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Diafa
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland. hollenstein@dcb.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hollenstein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000737:chemistry*; D020650:Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D052156:SELEX Aptamer Technique / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide
keywords: SELEX; aptamers; chemically modified nucleic acids; modified nucleoside triphosphates; polymerases; synthetic genetic polymers; therapeutic oligonucleotides